Colchester advances to semifinalsPublished: Friday, August 11, 2006
BRISTOL, Conn. -- The Colchester Little League team stormed into the semifinals of the New England Regional by posting an 11-4 win over Yarmouth, Maine, on Thursday.
Colchester wrapped up pool play with a 2-2 record and the third seed. It will face second-seeded Portsmouth, N.H., this afternoon at 2 in the semifinals.
If Colchester prevails today and in Sunday's championship game, it would become the first Vermont team to advance to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa.
Thursday, Colchester racked up five runs in the bottom of the third inning and piled on three more in the fifth.
"We had very balanced hitting up and down the lineup," Colchester manager Dennis Place said. "It was by far our best hitting performance of the tournament."
Colchester combined for just two hits in close losses to Peabody, Mass., and Portsmouth earlier in the week, but pounded out 13 against Yarmouth.
Joshua Place led the way with three hits and two RBIs, and Ken Alderman slugged a home run. Nate Frieberg, Ryan Crowley and David LaCroix added two hits apiece for Colchester and Matt Roy drilled a double.
Relief pitcher Jared Cayia tossed four innings and picked up the win. He struck out five, allowing no runs and one hit. Place threw the first two innings and gave up four runs on six hits.
"The kids are excited to be playing here," Dennis Place said. "We know the next game is going to be hard, but we played both of those teams tough earlier in the tournament."
My town! If they go to the Little League World Series, they would be on ESPN.
