Parents Of Jackie Robinson Players Have Priorities In Order

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (CBS) --It is win or go home for the Jackie Robinson West team Monday as the take on Rhode Island in bid to stay alive in the Little League World Series.

CBS 2's Jim Williams reports the players, though they're 11 and 12-year olds, have played a lot of baseball and they're confident going into tonight's game. But win or lose the parents of the players have their priorities in the right order.

When Pierce Jones hit three home runs for Jackie Robinson West on Thursday, his grandfather was all over the airwaves. You might have wondered about his parents, who couldn't make it to the first game because their middle son Clifton was going off to college for the first time.

Even with Pierce capturing the international spotlight, his parents had a higher family priority last week. But his father and mother are now in Williamsport along with another older brother, Craig Mathis.

"It's been awesome to see little bro all over the TV, the way he composed himself on the interviews. It's just special," said Mathis.

With brother Clifton safely at Southern Illinois University, the entire Jones family can enjoy the Little League World Series experience in person.

"I dreamed as a kid of coming here, wanted to get here and just being here with my kid, it's like I'm here playing myself," said Jones.

It is a wonderful experience for everyone in Williamsport. The coaches did not want any pressure on the kids after Sunday's tough loss, so they let the boys have fun and hang out with their parents.

Some former players who offered their support after that tough loss

"We've been here before. We started out a little slow. We have to hit the ball and come back," said former player Chris Moore.

Coach Darold Butler says this current JRW team has played a lot of games and they've never lost two in a row and boldly predicted his team would win Monday night. In baseball you see good teams get hammered, only to come back to win a championship.