Junior LL State Tourney: East Greenwich Splits Weekend Series

East Greenwich split its weekend series in the Junior Little League State Tournament at on July 23 and 24, falling to Johnston by a 6-3 score on Saturday and keeping their playoff hopes alive with a 11-1 win over Riverside on Sunday.

The East Greenwich squad is scheduled to play Glocester on July 27 for the right to face Johnston in the state finals, set for July 29.

July 23: Johnston 6, EG 3

In the late-game on Day 1 of the state tournament, Johnston overcame two passed balls that resulted in East Greenwich scores to win, 6-3.

East Greenwich center fielder Quinn Sullivan scored for the visitors in the top of the first on a bases-loaded walk surrendered by Johnston starting pitcher Corey Fijal, who stranded three EG runners by stopping a Joe Gasbarro grounder to end the inning.

Gian Martellini gave Johnston the lead, 2-1, on a deep blast that cleared the center field fence in the bottom of the third.

The host team widened the lead to 4-1 in the top of the fourth behind Mike Caparco's RBI line drive to center field that brought home Marc Conte, and Zach Coro's hit to center that scored Caparco.

With bases loaded, Johnston's Joe Bongiovanni drilled a liner toward second that was nabbed by Sam Alkins to stall the Johnston rally.

East Greenwich scored two runs on back-to-back passed balls by Martellini, who took the mound in relief in the top of the fifth.

That was as close as EG would get, as Fijal brought home Larry Dureault on an RBI double and Conte assisted Fijal with his own double to right field in the bottom of the fifth to make the tally 6-3.

Coro closed out the game in the top of the seventh, whiffing two EG batters and forcing Peter Goretoy into a pop-fly to left field that stranded Ross Dean on base.

July 24: East Greenwich 11, Riverside 1

In the consolation round on Sunday, four EG pitchers held Riverside to three hits over seven innings to secure an 11-1 win and eliminate the East Providence team from the state tournament.

Danny Montenegro, worked two innings; winning pitcher Tim Warner threw three innings of relief; Quinton Sullivan tacked on one inning, and closing pitcher Joe Gasbarro retired the side in the bottom of the seventh to end the game.

EG, the District 3 champion, pushed across all the runs they needed in the first inning on their way to racking up 13 hits for the game. After a Ross Dean single in the first inning, Montenegro doubled all the way to the right center fence. Max Moss hit a bloop single for another RBI.

Riverside, playing in its first state tournament in 53 years, scored its sole run in the bottom of the first after Robert Pereira's bases-loaded sac fly to score Ryan Vieira.

In the fourth, EG's Leonardo Giarusso drove in a run with a double, and Sullivan had a single to right to increase the lead to 4-1.

Dylan Poole prevented more EGLL scoring after relieving starting pitcher Ethan Gervais with one out and bases still loaded in the fourth.

The Riverside righty forced a ground-out on a heads-up play by second baseman Eric Glowacki, who threw to home for the force out, and Poole retired the next batter on another grounder to strand three EG runners.

Riverside hurt its own cause in the fourth and fifth innings when two runners were caught off base on baserunning miscues.

EG went on to add seven runs to its side of the scoreboard through the top of the seventh. In Riverside's final at-bat, Gasbarro pitched a 1-2-3 inning to secure the victory.

Five East Greenwich players had at least two or more hits, led by Ross Dean with three singles; Peter Goretoy and Dan Montenegro who each hit a single and double; and Sam Alkins and Max Moss with two singles apiece.

The July 27 game against Glocester is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. at Johnston Memorial Park.

Download the movie