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BRISTOL, Conn. — Sophia Pizzo chose the perfect opportunity to deliver her first hit at this venue.
She turned on an inside pitch and sent Cranston Western Little League Softball to the regional championship. The drive found the left-centerfield gap and scored three runs for a Cranston Western group that thrives in the clutch. The 11- and 12-year-old All-Stars fought through the losers’ bracket, a doubleheader on Wednesday, July 22, and are back to the New England Regional final for the second time in three years.
Pizzo’s bases-clearing triple highlighted a six-run fourth inning to lead Rhode Island to an 11-1 victory over Maine at A. Bartlett Giamatti Little League Leadership Training Center. The bats were quieted in a 11-1, run-rule loss to Connecticut earlier in the day, but that was washed away between games as Cranston kept its summer alive in Bristol.
“I really wanted to get a hit and I was honestly just aiming for a single,” Pizzo said. “But I got a triple and I was really happy. We just have to keep worrying about the next game and keep preparing.”
“We were talking about how all we need to do is win, no matter what or how,” Chloe Whittenberger said. “We just need to do everything we can.”
Cranston Western now meets Connecticut again in a winner-take-all finish at noon Thursday. The Rhode Island All-Stars are up against a home crowd — Bristol Little League won the Connecticut state tournament — but Cranston Western is welcoming the rematch. “I feel like there’s already confidence because we know we’re prepared,” Whittenberger said. “I feel confident going into any game.”
Aubrey Riker, after not starting against Connecticut, tossed a gem in the circle for Rhode Island. The right-hander struck out four, allowed one walk and surrendered an unearned run for her second victory of the tournament. She also went 2-for-3 at the plate with two RBIs to aid her cause.
Cranston chose to sit Riker in the first game with it not being an elimination match. If the ace took the ball against Connecticut and Rhode Island lost, she would have had to pitch against Maine and would not be able to take the circle again on Thursday. But now she’ll have her chance to silence Connecticut, who has outscored opponents, 15-2, in this tournament.
“We knew we just needed one game today,” Cranston manager Bobby Arrighie said. “We just needed to win the second game and we’re right back in the same spot we would’ve been in with [Riker] able to pitch in the championship game.
“Credit to Brooke [Dolan]. She did her job and she went out there [in the first game] and ate up the innings. And now we’re in a spot we want to be in.”
Rhode Island jumped on Maine early with consecutive singles from Hayden Cerio and Whittenberger, who finished 3-for-3 with an RBI. Riker and Nina Graziano then followed with a pair of RBI singles. The game-breaking fourth inning started with another aggressive attack as Mackenzie Taviera and Mila Castillo opened with singles. Milania Morse loaded the bases on a four-pitch walk. That was followed by Pizzo's triple that advanced Cranston to the championship.
Cerio, Graziano and Castillo each had two hits in the 14-hit afternoon for the Rhode Island champions.
“I’m so proud,” Arrighie said. “I’ve been telling them for two days, that once it came down to a possible doubleheader, we had our emergency pitcher on call.
“They’re battle-tested with their back against the wall. I trust these kids and they’ve been playing together for a long time. They’re feeling good and they’ve got a little bit of swagger about them.”
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Cranston Western softball races past Maine, reaches New England final
Continue reading...
She turned on an inside pitch and sent Cranston Western Little League Softball to the regional championship. The drive found the left-centerfield gap and scored three runs for a Cranston Western group that thrives in the clutch. The 11- and 12-year-old All-Stars fought through the losers’ bracket, a doubleheader on Wednesday, July 22, and are back to the New England Regional final for the second time in three years.
Pizzo’s bases-clearing triple highlighted a six-run fourth inning to lead Rhode Island to an 11-1 victory over Maine at A. Bartlett Giamatti Little League Leadership Training Center. The bats were quieted in a 11-1, run-rule loss to Connecticut earlier in the day, but that was washed away between games as Cranston kept its summer alive in Bristol.
“I really wanted to get a hit and I was honestly just aiming for a single,” Pizzo said. “But I got a triple and I was really happy. We just have to keep worrying about the next game and keep preparing.”
“We were talking about how all we need to do is win, no matter what or how,” Chloe Whittenberger said. “We just need to do everything we can.”
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Cranston Western now meets Connecticut again in a winner-take-all finish at noon Thursday. The Rhode Island All-Stars are up against a home crowd — Bristol Little League won the Connecticut state tournament — but Cranston Western is welcoming the rematch. “I feel like there’s already confidence because we know we’re prepared,” Whittenberger said. “I feel confident going into any game.”
Aubrey Riker, after not starting against Connecticut, tossed a gem in the circle for Rhode Island. The right-hander struck out four, allowed one walk and surrendered an unearned run for her second victory of the tournament. She also went 2-for-3 at the plate with two RBIs to aid her cause.
Cranston chose to sit Riker in the first game with it not being an elimination match. If the ace took the ball against Connecticut and Rhode Island lost, she would have had to pitch against Maine and would not be able to take the circle again on Thursday. But now she’ll have her chance to silence Connecticut, who has outscored opponents, 15-2, in this tournament.
“We knew we just needed one game today,” Cranston manager Bobby Arrighie said. “We just needed to win the second game and we’re right back in the same spot we would’ve been in with [Riker] able to pitch in the championship game.
“Credit to Brooke [Dolan]. She did her job and she went out there [in the first game] and ate up the innings. And now we’re in a spot we want to be in.”
You must be registered for see images
Rhode Island jumped on Maine early with consecutive singles from Hayden Cerio and Whittenberger, who finished 3-for-3 with an RBI. Riker and Nina Graziano then followed with a pair of RBI singles. The game-breaking fourth inning started with another aggressive attack as Mackenzie Taviera and Mila Castillo opened with singles. Milania Morse loaded the bases on a four-pitch walk. That was followed by Pizzo's triple that advanced Cranston to the championship.
Cerio, Graziano and Castillo each had two hits in the 14-hit afternoon for the Rhode Island champions.
“I’m so proud,” Arrighie said. “I’ve been telling them for two days, that once it came down to a possible doubleheader, we had our emergency pitcher on call.
“They’re battle-tested with their back against the wall. I trust these kids and they’ve been playing together for a long time. They’re feeling good and they’ve got a little bit of swagger about them.”
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Cranston Western softball races past Maine, reaches New England final
Continue reading...
