LIVE UPDATES: Middleboro Little League vs. Bangor in New England Regionals title game
BRISTOL, CONN. – Throughout its memorable run this summer, the Middleboro Little League team has faced tough opponents in crucial circumstances.
Titles at the district, sectional and state levels have all led up to the tilt set for Thursday evening (5:00 p.m. on ESPN), the biggest of Middleboro's season so far: a rematch against Bangor East in the New England Regionals championship game in Bristol, Connecticut.
The victor is granted a trip to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania while the fallen is eliminated and sent home.
In the teams' first matchup on Monday, Bangor East defeated Middleboro by a 10-4 score. Right-handed pitcher Caden Karam starred to deliver Bangor East a 10-1 cushion through five innings, before the Middleboro lineup tacked on three scores in its final trip to the plate.
Now, on a winner-take-all stage, the two teams meet again.
Unable to catch the action? This page is home of all the updates you need to keep up with what the Middleboro Little League team is up to during its matchup with Bangor, Maine on Thursday.
FINAL
Middleboro defeats Bangor East, 10-1, to win the New England Regionals title and advance to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, PA.
Sixth inning
Middleboro 10, Bangor East 1.
Landers strikes out the final batter to seal the win. His final line: 2 innings pitched, 1 hit, 0 walks and 4 strikeouts
Aaron Davis slaps a 2-RBI single up the middle to plate Gavin Gillpatrick and Ayden Morris. Shawn Miller slides home on a wild pitch to add Middleboro's 10th run of the day.
Fifth inning
Middleboro 7, Bangor East 1.
Jayden Murphy launches a no-doubter into the trees behind the left field fence to tack on two more runs.
Murphy is relieved on the mound by right Jacob Landers after four innings of work. His line: 1 ER, 1 hit, 3 walks, nine strikeouts and 89 pitches.
Landers strikes out the side to end the inning.
Fourth Inning
Middleboro 5, Bangor East 1.
Bangor East pitcher Jacoby Harvey is relieved by right-hander Gavin Hughes after 88 pitches (a pitcher can finish the current at-bat if the 85 limit is met). Harvey's line through 3 ⅓ innings: 4 ER, 2 hits, 8 walks and 7 strikeouts.
Cayden Ellis bloops a single into left field to score Ayden Morris from second base.
Bangor East loads the bases and a walk from Patrick Guite brings home a run. Jayden Murphy then earns a strikeout to end the inning and enthusiastically leaves the mound as he escapes any big trouble. Bangor East strands the bases full and Murphy stands at 84 pitches (he can stay for one more at-bat before the 85-pitch limit kicks in).
Third Inning
Middleboro 4, Bangor East 0.
A triple from Jacob Landers tight-ropes the right field line and plates Cayden Ellis, Joe Monteforte and Nathan Mello -- all of whom reached on walks.
Jayden Murphy tacks on two more strikeouts. His line through three frames: 6 Ks, 0 H, 0 walks and 43 pitches.
Second Inning
Middleboro 1, Bangor East 0.
Reece Trottier, Luke Bolduc and Mike Marzelli earn walks in the inning. Middleboro leaves the bases loaded. The pitch count for Bangor East's Jacoby Harvey is already up to 56 (85 max).
Three Bangor East batters have reached base via hit-by-pitches through two innings. Jayden Murphy escapes any trouble with four total strikeouts in 28 pitches entering the third.
First Inning
Middleboro 1, Bangor East 0.
Patience at the plate pays off for Middleboro: a pair of walks from Mike Marzelli and Ayden Morris put two runners on, then a line drive base hit from Cayden Ellis brings Marzelli home to score.
LINEUPS
Middleboro
No. 99 Jayden Murphy, P
No. 11 Mike Marzelli, 2B
No. 50 Gavin Gillpatrick, SS
No. 13 Ayden Morris, 1B
No. 14 Cayden Ellis, CF
No. 23 Aaron Davis, LF
No. 33 Reece Trottier, RF
No. 20 Luke Bolduc, 3B
No. 27 Jacob Landers, C
Substitutes: No. 1 Nathan Mello, No. 8 Shawn Miller and No. 40 Joe Monteforte
Bangor East
No. 11 Daxton Gifford, SS
No. 14 Nate O'Donnell, 2B
No. 7 Jacob Harvey, P
No. 20 Kaleb Johnson, C
No. 5 Gavin Hughes, 3B
No. 34 Caden Karam, 1B
No. 9 Mason Bond, RF
No. 13 Tyler Johnson, LF
No. 84 Patrick Guite, CF
Substitutes: No. 2 Oliver Mattei, No. 4 Thomas Fournier, No. 8 Carter Catell and No. 45 Max Kenney
PITCHING MATCHUP
No. 99 Jayden Murphy (Middleboro) vs. No. 7 Jacoby Harvey (Bangor East)
Recap of Middleboro's last game
A first-inning home run by lead-off hitter Jayden Murphy sparked a 14-hit day for Middleboro in its 11-0 win over Concord, New Hampshire on Wednesday to stave off elimination and advance to the tournament title game on Thursday.
“Any time you start the game with a home run, it gets the team fired up," manager Chad Gillpatrick said. "It gets the dugout going. We cruised from there, kind of. That was the starting point. It was awesome.”
Gavin Gillpatrick hit a game-sealing two-run shot to center field in the fifth inning to force mercy rule. He also shined on the mound with 10 strikeouts, only allowing two hits and one walk in five innings of work.
Ayden Morris (ground-rule double, 1 RBI), Cayden Ellis (1-for-2, 1 run), Luke Bolduc (1-for-3, 1 run) and Jacob Landers (1-for-2, 2 runs, 1 RBI) all joined the offensive rally with productive moments at the plate. Mike Marzelli also finished with three hits, two runs and 3 RBIs.
This article originally appeared on The Enterprise: LIVE UPDATES: Middleboro Little League vs. Bangor, winner goes to LLWS
