Middleboro falls in opening game at LLWS: 'Let’s play Saturday and see what happens'

Representing the New England region at the 75th annual Little League World Series, Middleboro learned that the world's premier teams can produce a lot of highlights on the biggest stage.

And with ESPN having air time to fill during a two-hour-and-28-minute rain delay on Wednesday, the Nolensville Little League team from Tennessee -- the Southeast region representative -- gave SportsCenter a few candidates for its countdown of Top 10 plays in Middleboro's 5-3 opening-round loss.

Middleboro falls to the elimination bracket and will play again Saturday (7 p.m., ESPN2) against the loser of the Mid-Atlantic vs. Southwest matchup, which is slated for Thursday night (7 p.m., ESPN2). A loss on Saturday would send Middleboro home.

“They were pretty much lights-out defensively," Middleboro manager Chad Gillpatrick said of Tennessee. "They made some nice plays today."

The most deflating was Tennessee third baseman Drew Chadwick flagging down a hard-hit line drive off the bat of Jayden Murphy to end the bottom of the fourth inning with the bases loaded. Middleboro had rallied from down 5-0 to come within striking distance at 5-3 before Chadwick's glove intercepted a hot-shot rocket.

"The line drive at third with the bases loaded – a few inches either way and two runs score, maybe three. Who knows where it bounces?" Gillpatrick said. "Hats off to them, defensively. They were sound out there.”

Contact from Middleboro slugger Gavin Gillpatrick, who hit .462 with two home runs in the regional tournament, in the bottom of the fifth seemed destined to drop into the gap in shallow center field. Then, Tennessee center fielder Grayson May suddenly appeared to make a diving catch.

Was it the best team-wide defensive showing Middleboro has seen this summer?

“From the start to the finish, it was," Chad Gillpatrick said. "We had six or seven (opportunities) – but maybe they’re hits in any other game. They’re a well-coached team and they were in the right positions. That’s what it takes. That’s why they got here. Props to them.”

That's not to suggest Middleboro didn't make its own highlights, though.

Third baseman Luke Bolduc flashed a back-hand grab to record the game's first out, and a swinging bunt-like contact from Mike Marzelli in the third inning spurred a strategic frenzy on the basepaths that eventually plated Murphy and Bolduc, who each reached on singles in the prior at-bats. That pulled Middleboro within 5-2.

Then, in the fourth, the bench trio of Nathan Mello, Joe Monteforte and Shawn Miller knocked consecutive base hits to load the bases, setting up Bolduc's RBI fielder's choice that made it 5-3. Jacob Landers drew a walk to re-loaded the bases before Chadwick's grab ended the inning.

The rain delay immediately followed.

“The boys battled, and I think being down early, we had to reel them in a little bit," Chad Gillpatrick said. "We had the momentum before the rain delay, we were chipping away. That’s what we were telling them, ‘A couple runs here and there. Try to get a couple each inning.’ We got one, we got two and we got the game within two runs. (The rain delay) put a hole in our sail, but we’re going to come back (Saturday).”

A multi-hour weather delay at the Little League World Series goes how you might expect it would.

“For a few minutes, we were reading the kids some jokes, then we did a little bowling with some cups," Chad Gillpatrick chuckled. "Then they moved us out of the dugout and we sat in an area and the kids were getting hungry so we got some hot dogs and pretzels for them, actually. Finally it cleared so they called us back. It was a long wait.”

When play resumed, Monteforte finished off a strong relief outing.

Monteforte stepped in for the starting pitcher Murphy (2 ⅓ IP, five hits, three runs, three walks and four strikeouts in 64 pitches). Monteforte inherited the bases loaded in the third inning and proceeded to earn four strikeouts, while allowing just two hits and two walks in 2 ⅔ innings (50 pitches).

“We have a lot of confidence in Joe. He’s always one of our relievers that we’re ready to go with,” said Chad Gillpatrick. “He did a great job. He came in, in a tough situation, and he started cruising. I’m very proud of him, the way he pitched. His off-speed (pitches) were keeping them off balance.”

Landers threw 18 pitches in the final inning. All three arms were managed under the pitch-count threshold to account for a few days' rest and will be available for Saturday's must-win scenario.

Middleboro was in a similar situation during the New England Regional tournament: the team was sent to the elimination bracket for a rematch against Concord and it rattled off an 11-0 victory to leap to the championship game, where Middleboro took home a 10-1 win over Bangor East.

“Let’s keep getting more games, you know? Let’s play Saturday and see what happens: win one and get some momentum," Chad Gillpatrick said. "Let’s just get some more baseball. I don’t want it to end.”

This article originally appeared on The Enterprise: Middleboro falls to Tennessee in Little League World Series opener