Portsmouth's 10–12-year-old district team advanced to the NHD2 championship game on Saturday, July 23 with a hard fought 8-5 win over Concord Little League on Wednesday at Hislop Field. Portsmouth [8-0] entered the game as the #1 seed after going 6-0 in pool play.
Jack Ferrelli started the game and left in the bottom of the 5th with the score tied at 5-5 after reaching his pitch limit. Ferrelli gave up 5 runs [4 earned] on 4 hits while striking out 5 batters. Finn McCauley relieved Ferrelli facing 6 batters over 1 2/3 inning for the win [3 K's].
Ferrelli [2 for 3, 2 runs, 2 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 2 runs in the 3rd and 2 runs in the 4th to take a 5-1 lead. In the top of the 5th inning Portsmouth evened the score with consecutive doubles by Jakoby Schoppmeyer [2 for 3, 2 doubles, 2 runs, 2 RBI] and Ferrelli and singles by McCauley [3 for 4, run, RBI] and Roan Wilson [RBI]. Portsmouth took the lead for good in the top of the 6th inning scoring 2 runs on Schoppmeyer's second double of the game followed by a McCauley single.
Portsmouth will face the winner of Thursday's loser's bracket game between Concord [6-2] and Laconia [4-4] in the championship game of the double elimination tournament. A Portsmouth loss would result in a second game on Sunday, July 24 in Concord.
Portsmouth's 8–10-year-old team stayed alive in the NHD2 championship round double elimination tournament with a 15-5 win over Concord at Plains Field on Wednesday, July 20 after dropping into the loser's bracket on Monday following a 10-0 loss to Lamprey River. Portsmouth will travel to Manchester's Reece Field on Thursday to face the North Manchester Hooksett Little League team with the winner advancing to the championship game on Saturday at Concord's Grappone Field to face Lamprey River Little League.