Braintree little leaguers compete for regional championship

The 12-year-old little leaguers from Braintree will be representing Massachusetts as they take on their neighbors from the north from Bedford, New Hampshire in the New England regional championship in Bristol, CT on Thursday night. The winner advances to the Little League World Series later this month in Williamsport, PA.Frankie Fasoli III gets the start on the mound for Braintree against Tyler Johnson for Bedford, New Hampshire.1st Inning: Fasoli worked his way out of a bases loaded jam in the top of the first, giving up two hits and a fielder’s choice.In the home half of the inning, it was Fasoli helping himself out with a 2-run double giving Braintree an early 2-0 lead.2nd Inning: New Hampshire got one run back in the top half of the inning after a pair of walks and a fielder’s choice moved runners around the diamond. After a short mound visit by head coach Frank Fasoli, the younger Fasoli was able secure an inning-ending strikeout.Braintree left two runners on base with Tyler Johnson snagging a line-drive off the bat of Trevor Inglis to end the inning.3rd Inning: A pitching change to start the inning sent starting pitcher Frank Fasoli to short stop, moving Colman Gouthro to the mound. A lead-off single would be all the offense New Hampshire would be able to put together as Gouthro retired the next three hitters, throwing only 8 pitches in the inning.Johnson would get some solid defensive help in the bottom half of the inning, with his infielders wrangling hard hit ground balls to sit the Braintree hitters down in order.4th Inning: A lead-off single by Ryan Colby got things going for New Hampshire as he advanced to 2nd on a wild pitch by Gouthro. Colby would find himself on 3rd after taking off on a throw to first by Fasoli on a hard-hit ground ball to the shortstop. Cam Parker would tie the game with a single that scored Colby from 3rd.With the pitch count nearing the league-imposed limit, Johnson gave up a 1-out walk to Fasoli who advanced to 2nd on a late steal, however Johnson was able to strike out that next two batters to end the inning, stranding Fasoli on 2nd base keeping the score tied at 2. 5th Inning: Gouthro retired Bedford’s hitters in order, 1-2-3, with two strikeouts in the top of the 5th inning.Tyler Johnson struck out the first two Braintree batters of the inning before being moved to shortstop after reaching the league-imposed pitch limit of 85 pitches. Ben Marlow took over on the mound for New Hampshire to face Sam Trotta who grounded out to first to end the inning.6th Inning: A 1-out walk to Tyler Porto set the scene for some late-game drama as Porto made a hard slide into 2nd base on a ground ball to shortstop, knocking 2nd baseman Logan Needle to the ground. The drama didn’t end there as Tyler Johnson hit one-hopper back to the pitcher, but made contact with Gouthro running down the first-base line.Braintree goes down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the inning, forcing extra innings.EXTRA INNINGS: Each team starts with a runner on 2nd base7th Inning: With Tyler Johnson starting on 2nd inning, a wild pitch advanced him to 3rd with no outs to start the inning. Braintree’s defense would keep Johnson on 3rd after lead-off hitter Colby smacked a hard ground ball to the third baseman. However, Bedford pitcher Ben Marlow would chop a hard hit to Fasoli at shortstop setting up a play at the plate as Johnson broke for home, getting tagged out by the catcher prompting a review by the umpires. After a brief review, the call on the first was upheld, keeping the score tied at 2. Gouthro would strike out the next Bedford hitter to end the inning.A lead-off strike out to Gouthro and a fly-out to the shortstop but Braintree down early in the bottom half of the 7th with Logan Needle on 2nd base. Needle advanced to 3rd on a wild pitch. After a 2-out walk to Ryan Fennell, Bedford’s Ben Marlow got Frank Fasoli to ground out back to him to end the inning, sending the game to an 8th inning. 8th Inning: Braintree’s Caden McCarthy flashed the leather at the hot corner, starting the inning off snagging a short pop-fly off a bunt attempt by Cam Parker. Gouthro struck out the next batter before McCarthy came up big to end the inning, throwing out Colin Hurley on a ground ball to 3rd.A passed ball on the first pitch of the bottom half of the 8th inning moved Braintree’s Frank Fasoli to 3rd base early. Smart base running by Fasoli at 3rd drew a throw from the shortstop to home, ensuring McCarthy reached 1st base safely. After intentionally walking Doolin to load the bases, as wild pitch sent Fasoli scrambling to home to score the winning run and send Braintree off to the Little League World Series.

BRISTOL, Conn. —

The 12-year-old little leaguers from Braintree will be representing Massachusetts as they take on their neighbors from the north from Bedford, New Hampshire in the New England regional championship in Bristol, CT on Thursday night. The winner advances to the Little League World Series later this month in Williamsport, PA.

Frankie Fasoli III gets the start on the mound for Braintree against Tyler Johnson for Bedford, New Hampshire.

1st Inning: Fasoli worked his way out of a bases loaded jam in the top of the first, giving up two hits and a fielder’s choice.

In the home half of the inning, it was Fasoli helping himself out with a 2-run double giving Braintree an early 2-0 lead.

2nd Inning: New Hampshire got one run back in the top half of the inning after a pair of walks and a fielder’s choice moved runners around the diamond. After a short mound visit by head coach Frank Fasoli, the younger Fasoli was able secure an inning-ending strikeout.

Braintree left two runners on base with Tyler Johnson snagging a line-drive off the bat of Trevor Inglis to end the inning.

3rd Inning: A pitching change to start the inning sent starting pitcher Frank Fasoli to short stop, moving Colman Gouthro to the mound. A lead-off single would be all the offense New Hampshire would be able to put together as Gouthro retired the next three hitters, throwing only 8 pitches in the inning.

Johnson would get some solid defensive help in the bottom half of the inning, with his infielders wrangling hard hit ground balls to sit the Braintree hitters down in order.

4th Inning: A lead-off single by Ryan Colby got things going for New Hampshire as he advanced to 2nd on a wild pitch by Gouthro. Colby would find himself on 3rd after taking off on a throw to first by Fasoli on a hard-hit ground ball to the shortstop. Cam Parker would tie the game with a single that scored Colby from 3rd.

With the pitch count nearing the league-imposed limit, Johnson gave up a 1-out walk to Fasoli who advanced to 2nd on a late steal, however Johnson was able to strike out that next two batters to end the inning, stranding Fasoli on 2nd base keeping the score tied at 2.

5th Inning: Gouthro retired Bedford’s hitters in order, 1-2-3, with two strikeouts in the top of the 5th inning.

Tyler Johnson struck out the first two Braintree batters of the inning before being moved to shortstop after reaching the league-imposed pitch limit of 85 pitches. Ben Marlow took over on the mound for New Hampshire to face Sam Trotta who grounded out to first to end the inning.

6th Inning: A 1-out walk to Tyler Porto set the scene for some late-game drama as Porto made a hard slide into 2nd base on a ground ball to shortstop, knocking 2nd baseman Logan Needle to the ground. The drama didn’t end there as Tyler Johnson hit one-hopper back to the pitcher, but made contact with Gouthro running down the first-base line.

Braintree goes down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the inning, forcing extra innings.

EXTRA INNINGS: Each team starts with a runner on 2nd base

7th Inning: With Tyler Johnson starting on 2nd inning, a wild pitch advanced him to 3rd with no outs to start the inning. Braintree’s defense would keep Johnson on 3rd after lead-off hitter Colby smacked a hard ground ball to the third baseman. However, Bedford pitcher Ben Marlow would chop a hard hit to Fasoli at shortstop setting up a play at the plate as Johnson broke for home, getting tagged out by the catcher prompting a review by the umpires. After a brief review, the call on the first was upheld, keeping the score tied at 2. Gouthro would strike out the next Bedford hitter to end the inning.

A lead-off strike out to Gouthro and a fly-out to the shortstop but Braintree down early in the bottom half of the 7th with Logan Needle on 2nd base. Needle advanced to 3rd on a wild pitch. After a 2-out walk to Ryan Fennell, Bedford’s Ben Marlow got Frank Fasoli to ground out back to him to end the inning, sending the game to an 8th inning.

8th Inning: Braintree’s Caden McCarthy flashed the leather at the hot corner, starting the inning off snagging a short pop-fly off a bunt attempt by Cam Parker. Gouthro struck out the next batter before McCarthy came up big to end the inning, throwing out Colin Hurley on a ground ball to 3rd.

A passed ball on the first pitch of the bottom half of the 8th inning moved Braintree’s Frank Fasoli to 3rd base early. Smart base running by Fasoli at 3rd drew a throw from the shortstop to home, ensuring McCarthy reached 1st base safely. After intentionally walking Doolin to load the bases, as wild pitch sent Fasoli scrambling to home to score the winning run and send Braintree off to the Little League World Series.