Cranston Western softball falls to Conn. in Little League regionals

BRISTOL, Conn. — A five-run second inning spoiled Cranston Western Little League Softball‘s perfect New England Regional tournament run.

Bristol, the Connecticut state winners, reached safely in four straight at-bats to seize a commanding lead at A. Bartlett Giamatti Little League Leadership Training Center on Wednesday, July 22. Connecticut added a run in the third and three in the fourth frame to cruise to an 11-1 victory in five innings in the winners’ bracket final under warm sunshine in Bristol.

Makinnley Whitlock provided a two-RBI, walk-off double to centerfield to grab Connecticut the run-rule victory. Bristol now advances to the regional final, which figures to provide a raucous environment, on Thursday, July 23. Cranston Western is still alive in the double-elimination tournament, but the Rhode Islanders need to beat Maine in the losers’ bracket final, currently set for 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

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Rhode Island, after opening the tournament with a bye and a run-rule victory over Vermont, started Wednesday’s final strong. Chloe Whittenberger singled through the left side and Aubrey Riker followed with a two-out walk before Nina Graziano’s RBI single to center. Brooke Dolan started in the circle for Rhode Island and sat Bristol down in order after opening with a four-pitch walk.

Bristol worked three walks in its big second inning and was aided by a hit-by-pitch and a two-run single from Faithmarir Soto to take a 3-1 advantage. A Rhode Island error added two more runs before the end of the frame.

Cranston Western and Bristol were supposed to meet on Tuesday. But torrential rain in Bristol delayed the start to Wednesday and forced the doubleheader meeting against Maine. Cranston Western is familiar with winning tournaments the hard way as it captured its fourth straight Rhode Island state title by navigating the losers’ bracket. Cranston beat Cumberland twice in a doubleheader showdown to win the championship.

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Gorham, the Maine state winners, opened with a run-rule victory vs. Massachusetts. Maine then lost to Bristol, 4-1, before defeating New Hampshire, 17-1, to reach the losers’ bracket final.   

The New England Regional Tournament matchup between Cranston Western and Gorham, Maine, for the right to face Connecticut in Thursday’s final is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. today, will be shown on ESPN.

The winner of Thursday’s regional championship game, scheduled for noon, advances to the Little League Softball World Series in Greenville, N.C., beginning Aug. 2.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Cranston Western softball falls to Conn. in Little League regionals