2013 New England Region Preview

Read last year's New England Region Tournament to see how well I did or didn't do right here.


Read about the 2013 Mid-Atlantic Region Tournament also in Bristol, CT right here.


Tournament History: Since New England split with the Mid-Atlantic region, Massachusetts has excelled winning four regional championships in the last 11 years. Connecticut and Rhode Island each have three championships including one each in the last two years. New Hampshire and Maine each have one trip the World Series since the New England regional tournament was formed, and Vermont is looking for its first trip to Williamsport ever.

2012 Team Pedigree: Lincoln (RI) just won its first state title since 2009 but it’s the eighth title overall for the regional powerhouse, all since 1999. Lincoln has already struck gold twice with two trips to Williamsport including 2001 and 2004. Lincoln has played an astounding 40 games at the regional level in its history. They’re 26-14 overall.

South Burlington (VT) is making its second straight trip to Bristol and fourth overall since 2001. Over that time, SBLL is only 5-10 in regional play but made the regional semifinals twice and even played for the New England title back in 2001 after a massive upset in the semifinals. Last year, South Burlington nearly pulled off another one when it pushed eventual regional champion, Fairfield American (CT), to eight innings in a 4-3 loss. Rye (NH) just won its second state title ever. The first was back in 2003. Maremont LL of Saco (ME) won a state championship back in 1988. This version of Saco LL won the state title as 10s and 11s previously.

Newton SouthEast (MA) and Westport (CT) are playing in regional competition for the first time in league histories. Another interesting note is that these two teams failed to win state titles as 10-year olds. The other four teams all reached the 10-year old regional tournament back in 2011 and have some familiarity with each other.

Team Previews (Tournament records in parentheses)

Rye, NH (12-1): Rye has had plans of visiting Bristol, CT for a couple years now after winning a state title back in 2011 and it’s a happy time for the league. Dylan Chase and Max Malila provide some home run pop at the top of the order, but the team has 25 total in 13 games. They’ve hit at least one in 12 of the 13 games throughout the tournament. Malila has been on fire with a .600 batting average and nine home runs so far. Chase and Malila happen to be the team’s top two pitchers and are both capable of blowing it by hitters.  

South Burlington, VT (10-1): This is the second straight trip to Bristol for South Burlington who returns six key players from a run to the regional semifinals last year. Ben Tate and Ethan Klesch have been mashing the ball and Max Plunkett is a pure hitter. Sammy Premsagar seemingly hits the ball hard every time. Tate, Klesch, and Premsagar are a valuable 1-2-3 punch on the mound and 11-year old Matt Guyette is solid in relief.

Westport, CT (12-0): Without seeing the other five state champions in the New England region tournament, it is still safe to say that nobody will have a better combined duo on the mound than Chad Knight and Harry Azadian. Both throw in the low 70’s with incredible control and breaking stuff. They make Westport go. The defense behind them is excellent, and with Chris Drbal and Max Popken bringing the bats along with Azadian and Knight’s power… this is a very formidable team. You can pencil them into the championship game.

Lincoln, RI (9-0): Lincoln is a powerhouse league that has seen some competition pop up lately within its district. This year’s squad has gone back in time however. Lincoln completely dominated the state of Rhode Island, and that rarely happens even when RI comes up with a regional championship. As a team, Lincoln has posted four shutouts in nine games and has only allowed more than two runs twice… never more than four runs in a game. Steve Andrews is an intimidating force at the plate and hits the ball as hard and far as you’d expect him to. Braedon Carney and Dominic Cunha have a ton of pop and Dave Bordieri is a doubles machine. Kyle Marrapese is the team’s hard-throwing lefty on the mound

Saco, ME (9-1): Saco is slowly becoming a powerhouse in Maine despite not having a ton of past success. This squad has won state titles as 10s, 11s, and 12s. The age group right behind them owns state championships as 10s and 11s now too. This team has a never say die attitude as it needed to come out of the losers bracket every single year so far. Saco has scored 41 runs in its last three games including a sweep of Portland Bayside. Brogan Searle-Belanger has a good fastball and leads the pitching staff. Luke Chessie is a very good starting pitcher as well. Michael Bourgault, Timmy Smith, and Dan McLeer all have home run power. Chessie, Hunter Penley, and Daniel Sprague do damage with their bats too.

Newton SouthEast, MA (14-2): Not only has 12 of Newton’s 14 wins come by three runs or less, but Newton has come from behind nine times so far in the tournament. They’re officially the latest brand of The Cardiac Kids. Newton usually pieces its pitching together with three or four pitchers per games which creates matchup advantages. Matt Beckles, Dante Taylor, and Brandon Lee can swing the lumber, but everyone has handled the late-game pressure for Newton. They’re never dead.

Projected Records

Connecticut                        4-0

Rhode Island                      4-0

New Hampshire               2-2

Vermont                              1-3

Maine                                   1-3

Massachusetts                  0-4

Semifinals: Connecticut over Vermont 5-0, Rhode Island over New Hampshire 5-2

Final: Connecticut over Rhode Island 3-2


You can hear more of my thoughts on the entire East Region tournament by listening to Little League Insider Radio: Episode 2.

For Mobile Users, try this link here: Little League Insider Radio: Episode 2

To listen to the debut episode of Little League Insider Radio: CLICK HERE

Join the Little League World Series discussion on Facebook with some of the best baseball minds around right here: Little League World Series Discussion

Like our Facebook page: Little League Insider

Follow along on Twitter: @LittleLeaguePro

Please spread the word about the blog to anyone who loves the Little League World Series. To support all the hard work on this blog, Please...

 

Thursday's Trip Around the Bases (July 25, 2013)

I saw the first round of the New Jersey state final four today and it was a wild day. The two tournament favorites played a game that lived up to the hype and went extra innings. The second game felt like it went on forever. Some more state champions were crowned around the country and the rest will finish up over the weekend. Here we go.


Indiana

Hagerstown went unbeaten on the way to the Indiana state semifinals and pulled out two victories on Thursday to take home the first state championship in league history. In fact, Hagerstown hadn't won a district title since back in 1998. In the semifinal, Hagerstown dispatched Jeffersonville 12-5 before facing Fort Wayne's Don Ayers Little League in the championship. Don Ayers upended previously unbeaten Dyer in the other semifinal.

Hagerstown trailed heading into the sixth inning before forcing extra innings. Don Ayers took a 6-4 lead in the top of the eighth, but Hagerstown responded with three runs and walked off with a 7-6 victory and a trip to Indianapolis for the Great Lakes regional.

Maryland

Berlin completed a feat that's extremely hard to do in any state. They won state championships as 10s, 11s, and 12s in the last three years. Today, Berlin capped it all off with a 5-1 victory over a tough Brunswick team. Smartly starting its #3 pitcher against Brunswick's ace (to set up a mismatch in a potential "if" game), Berlin was able to get it done in one. Brunswick jumped out to a 1-0 lead on a home run by Sam Watkins, but Berlin answered quickly in the third with three runs capped by a two-run double by Matt Kinsey. We Powell homered later in the inning to quickly put Berlin up 5-1. With a four-run lead, Berlin went to its star, Tristan McDonough. The big right hander used his blazing fast ball to shut Brunswick out over the final 3+ innings and took home the title.

Arkansas

Malvern won its first state championship since 1997 with a 14-2 victory over perennial favorite, White Hall. Jake Wright and Demia Timerson each homered. Logan Taylor pitched all four innings and struck out eight while allowing two earned runs.

New Jersey

Toms River East American moved a step closer to winning its first state championship since 1999 when the "Beast from the East" reached the United States championship game. TREA won the world title in 1998 behind Todd Frazier. This year's edition jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead after a pair of walks and back-to-back RBI singles by Gabe Driscoll and Matt Hartshorn. Wayne National quickly answered with two runs of its own with a double from Dominic Cancellieri and a two-run single by Jack Feit. A TRE error and an RBI from John Boscarino gave Wayne a 4-2 lead after two innings. TRE relief pitcher Dougie Pombo and Wayne starter Cancellieri each settled in and tossed shutouts for the next three innings. Cancellieri finished with 12 Ks in 4 2/3 innings allowing just one hit after the first inning. Pombo threw three innings of one-hit ball. Johnny Munson made Wayne pay for two errors with a two-run single to tie the game in the sixth inning.  In the seventh, Nick Silvia started a rally with a ripped leadoff single. Then Pombo jacked one to deep right field to put Toms River East ahead. An RBI double by Hartshorn and an RBI walk by Maximus Rivas gave TRE the 8-4 victory.

Cancellieri threw the maximum 85 pitches in the game and is now out for the rest of the state tournament barring a rainout. It was a peculiar decision by the Wayne staff to say the least.

In the second game, East Greenwich came from three runs down to win the game 4-3 in the sixth against Nutley East. Walks and errors littered the game for both teams and two errors with two outs in the sixth inning allowed EG to tie the game and then win it. EG will face Toms River in the winners bracket. Wayne and Nutley East will play an elimination game. Read a detailed report from this game right HERE.

Maine

Saco won the state championship two years ago as 10s and again last year as 11s. Both times they came out of the losers bracket. Now as 12s, they're attempting to do it again after beating Portland Bayside 12-4 in the first championship game. The two teams will do it again on Friday in the "if" game.  Michael Bourgault hit a three-run homer to give Saco a 4-1 lead that it never relinquished. Tommy Smith and Dan McLeer each homered as well in the victory.

Delaware

M-O-T Little League trounced Millsboro 13-3 in the first round of the state tournament and will now face two-time defending state champion Newark National in the winners bracket final. Hayden Trimarco drove in four runs and bashed a home run to lead MOT. C.J. Loper pitched a complete game and also drove a ball out of the yard.

State Champions List

Utah- Dixie LL (St. George)
Alabama- Jackson LL

Oklahoma- Tulsa LL
Idaho- Coeur d’Alene LL
Washington- Eastlake LL (Sammamish)
Mississippi- Ocean Springs LL
Nebraska- Kearney LL
Washington, D.C.- Capitol City LL
Texas West- Universal LL (Corpus Christi)
Louisiana- Bossier National LL
Texas East- Pearland Maroon LL
South Dakota- Rapid City Timberline
Nevada- Mountain Ridge LL (North Las Vegas)
Michigan Grosse Pointe Woods-Shores LL
Virginia- Tuckahoe American LL
New Hampshire- Rye LL
Vermont- South Burlington LL
Hawaii- Central East Maui LL
Kansas- Girard LL
Indiana- Hagerstown LL
Arkansas- Malvern LL
Maryland- Berlin LL
Colorado- North Boulder LL

Join the Little League World Series discussion on Facebook with some of the best baseball minds around right here: Little League World Series Discussion

Like our Facebook page: Little League Insider

Follow along on Twitter: @LittleLeaguePro and @LLWSAllthetime

Please spread the word about the blog to anyone who loves the Little League World Series. To support all the hard work on this blog, Please...

New England Region Preview

Tournament History: Since New England split with the Mid-Atlantic region, Massachusetts has excelled winning four regional championships in the last 11 years. Rhode Island’s Cinderella run to the title last year gave the Bay State its third trip to the World Series to trail Mass, and Connecticut has won the regional championship twice in that time. New Hampshire and Maine each have one title and Vermont is the lone team in the region without a championship. Vermont has never reached the Little League World Series, in fact.

2012 Team Pedigree: Fairfield American (CT) didn’t have much of a history before 2010. Now? They have a Little League World Series appearance and a third straight state championship. It’s the first time in state history actually. This group has won three state championships on their own as 10’s, 11’s, and now 12’s. In 2010, this group won the entire East Region as 10-year olds up in Cranston, Rhode Island.

Bedford (NH) just won its eighth state championship and first since 2005. Bedford won the entire East region in 1993 and has a good history in the regionals. Overall, Bedford is 15-6 all-time in the East/New England region. That’s excellent. South Burlington (VT) has won three state championships, all in the last ten years. They’re only 3-7 overall, but in 2001 advanced all the way to the New England regional championship after sneaking into the semis at 1-3 and upsetting undefeated Yalesville, CT.

Coventry American (NH), Scarborough (ME), and Wellesley South (MA) all won their first state championships this year. Coventry won Rhode Island’s 11-year old championship last year and Scarborough has won the Maine title each year so far with this group (10s, 11s, and 12s). Wellesley made the state final four last year as 12-year olds with four 11’s on the team. That group is back and led WSLL to the state title.

Team Previews

Bedford, NH (7-0): Any talk of Bedford starts with Grant Lavigne who I dubbed “The Little League Barry Bonds.” Lavigne is 17-for-19 in the tournament so far with 11 homeruns and 11 walks (most of which are of the intentional variety). If you think he’s the whole team though, you’re wrong. The team is hitting .449 overall with 23 total homeruns. At least seven players have hit homeruns in the seven games leading up to the regional. Timmy Saltzman is one of the team’s top starters and fired a complete game 2-hitter in the state championship game. Lavigne is a capable #2 starter. Alec Burns is another hitter to watch.

South Burlington, VT (11-0): South Burlington won the state championship as 10-year olds and easily defended their crown as 12’s. Eamon Sheridan is a dominant number one pitcher and also one of the team’s best hitters. South Burlington’s power travels up and down the lineup as nine different players have taken Vermont pitchers deep.

Fairfield American, CT (13-1): This group of 12-year olds has won a regional championship and three state championships. They’ve only lost two games in three years. After sweeping the state championship series 10-0 and 8-0, FALL is feeling good. Everyone on the team has homerun power, and the most surprising is diminutive third baseman Kevin Oricoli. “KO” has three homeruns since the sectionals began and is swinging a great bat. The team’s best player though is catcher Biaggio Paoletta. The Italian Stallion has four homeruns since the section 1 tournament and is a fantastic athlete. He might be the best catcher I’ve seen this year behind the dish. Pitching is Fairfield’s forte led by another diminutive star, Ryan Muery. Muery has 46 strikeouts in his last 23 innings pitched and has only allowed two runs. Watch out for pitcher/hitters Will Lucas and Matt Kubel.

Coventry American, RI (8-0): Coventry didn’t run wild through the state of Rhode Island, but coming through the Bay State unblemished is certainly something to behold especially with the pitch count rules now. Pitching seems to be Coventry’s method of winning. In the state finals, Coventry gave up just five runs in its three games. Look for Jarrad Grossguth to lead the way at the plate along with Quentin Rearden. Manny Bjorklund and Grossguth are the fireballers for Coventry.

Scarborough, ME (8-0): Scarborough has dominated the state of Maine for three years in a row and is looking to put a nice run together in Bristol. Scarborough has power through the lineup and is led by Jared Brooks on the mound along with Connor Kelly. Zoltan Panyi has some big-time power as well.

Wellesley South, MA (13-1): Wellesley won Massachusetts for the first time coming out of a tough district and walking off with a come-from-behind victory in the state championship game. Wellesley reached the state final four in 2011 but went winless during pool play. Four players from that team had enough experience to lead their team to a championship in 2012. Billy Seidl is the unquestioned leader of the team. He hits homeruns in bunches and is one of the best pitchers in the state. Kaeden Bentley is the team’s other go-to starter and T.J. Maley is one of the team’s hottest hitters right now.

Projected Records

Connecticut 4-0

Rhode Island 3-1

New Hampshire 2-2

Massachusetts 2-2

Maine 1-3

Vermont 0-4

Semifinals: Connecticut over Massachusetts 7-2, New Hampshire over Rhode Island 4-3

Final: Connecticut 10, New Hampshire 5

Television Coverage Beginning Already

ESPN began broadcasting the United States regional championship games in 1998 on ESPN2, and the ratings for the Little League World Series have exploded ever since. Toms River East American became the darlings of the LLWS, especially Todd Frazier. With the expansion of the LLWS to 16 teams in 2001, it became even bigger. Every US game was televised, and the Danny Almonte phenomenon and then scandal became national news. Now, every game of the LLWS can be seen in some way on the ESPN family of networks including all the international games.

As of last year, ESPN and Little League expanded again. Almost every regional semifinal game is now being televised, and even pool play games in the New England region are being covered by NESN, a regional sports network. Coverage kicks off today with the Southwest regional semifinals.

As someone who loves Little League, its great to be able to see two extra teams in each region after reading about them for the last couple weeks. It kinda puts a face with a name. However, I hate that these games are on TV now. For years, many a coach decided what he was playing for. Should he play to get to Williamsport or play for the TV game? Now, making the semifinals puts you on TV at least once. I think it's a little overboard. Making the regional final is no longer special for that reason.

Not only is it no longer special to be a regional finalist, it makes it that much harder because television has completely dictacted the regional schedules. Certain teams are in certain pools or play certain states specifically for television. The days off have been changed to accommodate the television schedule as well.

I'm all for ESPN doing this tournament. Televising the regional finals was the best idea yet in terms of expanding the LLWS coverage. Going to the semifinals is a huge stretch though. I'm definitely not a fan.

Of course, every semifinal game will on my DVR when I get home from Bristol, CT at the end of the week.