All 3 Portsmouth Little League teams are in action on Saturday playing for either a NH State Championship [9-11 team] or the District 2 Championship [8-10 team and 10-12 team].

 

Portsmouth's 8–10-year-old district team advanced to the district championship game with a 3-2 win over North Manchester Hooksett Little League on Thursday evening at Reece Field in North Manchester.  Portsmouth will need to beat Lamprey River twice to claim the district title; the first game is Saturday, July 23 @ 1:00 pm at Concord's Grappone Field.  Should Portsmouth win on Saturday they will play again on Sunday for the championship,

 

Grady Cronin got the start on the mound and went 3 innings giving up 2 runs on 4 hits with 3 K's. Max Poulin earned the win in relief pitching the final 3 innings giving up 1 hit while striking out 2 batters. Both pitchers were aided by solid defense including catcher Cooper Peelman throwing out a runner caught stealing in the 3^rd inning and outfield assists by Van Godfrey and Mia Delaney.

 

Portsmouth only managed 3 hits including a 1^st inning single by Alex Hodsdon [single, run] and a 2-hit night for Griffin Gamester whose double in the bottom of the 5^th inning brought in the go-ahead run for Portsmouth. Alec Lyng scored twice reaching on a walk in the 1^st inning and an error in the 5^th inning.

 

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Portsmouth's U11 team [5-3] advanced to the Championship game in the NH State Little League tournament with a 10-9 win over Bedford on Thursday evening at Manchester Little League.  Portsmouth will play Goffstown on Saturday, July 23 @ 1:00 pm at Manchester Little League's Precourt Park; they will need to beat Goffstown twice to claim the State Championship and advance to the regional tournament in Beverly, MA.

 

Caden Desjardins got the start on the mound for Portsmouth going 3 innings and giving up 2 hits while striking out 2. Lucas Cresta came on in relief for the win going the final 3 innings and giving up 2 hits. 

 

Blaze Bocash [2/2, triple, 2 runs] and Joey St. Laurent [2/4, 3 RBI] lead the Portsmouth offense.  Hits were also recorded by Colton McCain [3 runs], Griffin McGuckin [double, run, 3 RBI], Desjardins [2 RBI], and Jackson Lore [double, run, RBI].