With 'heads held high' Smithfield's magical ride ends at LLWS
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — The Smithfield Major Little League All-Stars did not go quietly.
After being held scoreless on one hit through five innings, they scored in the bottom of the sixth inning Tuesday night on their way out of the Little League Baseball World Series where they were eliminated in a 9-3 loss to West Region champion El Segundo, Calif.
The series ended for the Rhode Island state and Metro Region champions in a U.S. Elimination Bracket quarterfinal game before an estimated crowd of 7,097 at Lamade Stadium.
Despite hitting struggles throughout its four games in the series, Smithfield showed it could fit in with the best Little League teams in the country during its stay in Williamsport.
Smithfield went 2-2 and finished right in the middle of the pack, ending in a fifth-place tie with Mountain Region champion Henderson, Nev., the other team to go out in Tuesday’s Elimination Bracket quarterfinal, out of 10 U.S. teams.
In danger of being held to one hit for the second time in the series, Smithfield instead put together three hits in the bottom of the sixth, including its first extra-base hit of the series, a two-run triple by Brayden Castellone. An inspirational speech by coach Eric Gibree — "You walk off this field heads high. I really don't care what that scoreboard says..." — just before the final half inning helped the RI bats come to life.
Castellone finished with two hits.
El Segundo put Smithfield in an immediate hole, scoring twice in the top of the first and two more times in the second. It scored multiple runs in four of the first five innings, including a two-run, fifth-inning homer by Brody Brooks to complete its scoring.
California's Lucas Keldoff joined Brooks with two hits and two RBI. Louis Lappe went 3 2/3 innings and struck out nine while walking two. He allowed just a first-inning hit by Castellone.
'Heads held high'
Smithfield coach Eric Gibree made sure his team knew just how proud he is of them, and how proud they should be of themselves.
Before the final half of the final inning, Gibree told his team:
"You walk off this field heads high. I really don't care what that scoreboard says. ... We are winners... What you guys did this year was unbelievable."
Gibree's speech sparked the RI offense, as the RI team plated three runs in the final inning.
RI has one inning left to play
Barring a huge comeback, Smithfield's run in the Little League World Series looks to be coming to an end, as the RI champs trail California, 9-0, heading to the sixth inning. Smithfield's offense has been kept at bay tonight, mustering just one hit so far against the West's pitchers.
Smithfield down 7-0 after 3 innings
The Smithfield bats have been kept in check so far and the Metro Region champs are in a big hole after 3 innings. Brayden Castellone is on in relief of RI starter Connor Curtis.
RI trails early
California pushed across a pair of runs in the first inning against Smithfield ace Connor Curtis to jump out to an early 2-0 lead. Rhode Island's offense seemed close to answering in the bottom of the inning, with a couple of runners on base, but the West champs erased the threat and held the Metro champs scoreless.
Mistakes in the field in the top of the second led to a two more runs for California, who stretched their early advantage to 4-0 heading into the bottom of the inning.
Play ball!
Game time is nearly here for the Smithfield Little League team. Tonight's elimination game is against El Segundo, Calif., with the winner advancing to a Wednesday night contest vs. Southeast champion Tennessee.
You can watch the game on ESPN, as well as follow along with our writer, Tom Robinson, who's at Lamade Stadium.
Doing whatever it takes
Smithfield manager Eric Gibree sat in the pavilion between the two stadiums at the Little League Baseball International Complex last week, lamenting the one missing piece from the Smithfield Major All-Star offense as it prepared for its first World Series game.
“When we’re right, we’re using the whole field,” the Smithfield manager said. “We do a really good job staying back, staying inside the baseball and using the gaps."
The Rhode Island and Metro Region champions have been in Williamsport for over a week now, and when they're firing on all cylinders, they are tough to beat. Let's hope the Smithfield all-stars come out swinging when they take the field against California tonight at Lamade Stadium.
Do you know about the Little League Museum?
Well, there is such a place, and it's situated in — where else — Williamsport, Pa., the home of Little League Baseball.
With hundreds of items and artifacts, the Little League Museum is focused on the “dynamic presentation of how Little League has intertwined with U.S. and world history, and even helped to shape history.”
The museum opened in 1982, and if you don't feel like making the 6-hour trek from Providence, take a look at our gallery by photographer Marc Vasconcellos:
From star player to youth coach
When Eric Gibree whistles, the Smithfield Little League all-stars get to work. Whether during drills at practice or a key moment in a game, a whistle from the manager is often all that is needed to reset the team on the task at hand.
Gibree is a former star player at Rhode Island College and tonight, he will lead the Rhode Island and Metro Region champions back onto the Lamade Stadium field against West champion El Segundo, Calif., needing a win to stay alive.
Check out Gibree’s full story here.
The boys of Smithfield have done us all proud
Providence Journal columnist Mark Patinkin had an important message for the Smithfield Little League team, “Well done, boys. You’ve made us proud, bringing the whole state on a memorable ride to Williamsport, Pennsylvania – the Little League World Series mecca.”
More: Rooting for the home team: The boys of Smithfield Little League have done us all proud
What's next?
The winner of tonight's contest advances to face the Southeast (Nolensville, Tenn.) regional champions on Wednesday night. Rhode Island lost to Tennessee earlier in the tournament.
More: Here are the 5 best Rhode Island Little League teams of all-time
How to watch
The game will be televised by ESPN, and you can follow along with our writer, Tom Robinson, who is on the scene at Lamade Stadium in Williamsport, Pa.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Smithfield, RI Little League vs. West champ El Segundo, Calif. in LLWS
