Riverside Team Loses Twice to Fall From Junior Little League State Tournament

Riverside made its first appearance in 53 years at the Junior Little League state tournament, held on July 23 and 24 at Johnston Memorial Park.

The District 2 squad put together a late rally against Glocester on Saturday, but fell short, 8-4. On Sunday in the consolation round, Riverside answered an early East Greenwich score on Sunday before falling, 11-1.

"It was a good experience for the kids," said Coach Mike Rebollo after Sunday's loss, which eliminated Riverside from the state tournament. "There's some really good baseball being played at this level — I think our kids gave it all they had."

July 23: Glocester 8, Riverside 4

Glocester lefthanded ace Derek Faria silenced Riverside bats most of the game to lead the District 4 squad to an 8-4 victory over Riverside in the opening game of the state tournament.

Faria threw 101 pitches and allowed just seven hits on three runs, all scored in the sixth.

In the second inning, Glocester scored two runs without any hits. Matt Taillon hit a ground ball and advanced to second on an infield throwing error, later scoring on a fielder’s choice. Pat Thacker, who had walked, also scored on a wild pitch.

Glocester added another run in the third on a Jim Greene double to the deepest part of the park to score Dan Keefe, who had previously reached base on a single.

Leading off the fourth, Taillon singled and Tim Gelsomino doubled down the right field line to reach base, and Keefe drove in both runners with a single for a 5-0 lead.

In the fifth, singles by Faria and Greene, along with a Riverside error, pushed the Glocester lead to 6-0.

Riverside broke through in the sixth inning, when Ethan Gervais walked and Evans singled before Keith Grant hit a two-RBI double up the middle. A passed ball moved the runners ahead before Dylan Poole stroked a single to left to trim the lead to 6-3.

Glocester deflated Riverside's hopes in the seventh by adding its final runs on another Taillon double that drove in Greene and Drew Angell. Keefe made a sliding catch on a short fly ball to center in the home half of the inning to shut down a potential Riverside rally.

Riverside had a final shot in the seventh against closer Greene, as Jarrod Cardoza earned a walk and Eric Glowacki and Gervais loaded the bases on successive singles.

Cardoza crossed the plate after a wild pitch, but Greene retired the final two batters to end the game.

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 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 runnerss 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 and give East Greenwich the chance to continue in the state tournament.

Glocester is scheduled to face EG on July 27.