Portsmouth Little Leaguers reach District 2 final round, eye berth in NH final
PORTSMOUTH — Portsmouth Little League's ages 10-12 team has reached the New Hampshire District 2 championship round.
Portsmouth defeated Concord on Wednesday night, 8-5, to advance.
Portsmouth (8-0) will play at 10 a.m. Saturday at Grappone Field in Concord against the winner of Thursday night's Concord (6-2) and Laconia (4-4) game.
With a win Saturday, Portsmouth would claim the district title and earn a berth in the New Hampshire finals. If Portsmouth loses in the double-elimination tournament Saturday, it willl play a decisive game Sunday at 10 a.m., also in Concord.
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Portsmouth's Jack Ferrelli started Wednesday's game, allowing five runs (four earned) on four hits while striking out five batters. Finn McCauley relieved Ferrelli over the final 1 2/3 inning for the win.
Ferrelli (two hits, two runs, two RBI) scored the first run of the game with a line-drive home run over the left field fence giving Portsmouth a 1-0 lead in the first inning.
Concord plated two runs in the third inning and two runs in the fourth to take a 5-1 lead, but Portsmouth responded in the top of the fifth inning, and evened the score with consecutive doubles by Jakoby Schoppmeyer and Ferrelli, and singles by McCauley and Roan Wilson.
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Portsmouth took the lead for good in the top of the sixth inning scoring two runs on Schoppmeyer's second double of the game followed by a McCauley single.
Portsmouth 8-10 team picks up key victory
The Portsmouth 8-10 team defeated Concord, 15-5, at Plains Field on Wednesday to stay alive in its District 2 tournament.
Portsmouth was set to travel to Manchester's Reece Field on Thursday to face the North Manchester Hooksett Little League team, with the winner advancing to the championship round at 1 p.m. Saturday at Concord's Grappone Field against Lamprey River.
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Portsmouth Little Leaguers reach District 2 final round
