The Braintree American Little League team’s opener in Williamsport concluded in defeat after four innings due to the ’10-run rule.’
But the locals’ dream run is still alive.
On Saturday, Braintree American (Massachusetts) will play the Southwest representative from Richmond, Texas in the United States elimination bracket at 3 p.m. on ESPN. It can also be streamed on ESPN+.
The winning team will play the Northwest region (Bonney Lake, Washington) on Sunday at 9 a.m. The losing team will be eliminated.
This page will be updated on Saturday with a matchup breakdown before the game and live, play-by-play coverage throughout the afternoon.
Ryan Fennell is hit in the back on the first pitch thrown of the frame, and Caden McCarthy draws a walk. Massachusetts has two runners on with no outs.
Frankie Fasoli unleashes a roar on his way back to the dugout as he records a swing-and-miss strikeout to end the inning. The Massachusetts right-hander got out of the bases-loaded jam.
Texas’ Lucas Sontag and Logan Williams hit consecutive singles and Jaxson Packard walks to load the bases with two outs.
Texas center fielder Brayden Carlisle made an athletic grab on a very deep fly ball hit by Colman Gouthro to end the inning. Massachusetts had the bases loaded.
Frankie Fasoli hit a ground ball to the left side of the infield and an error scores Naumann from third.
Logan Needle rips a single to left field to score Cushing from third.
Charlie Doolin draws a walk to load the bases. Jaxson Packard will assume the pitching duties for Texas. Brayden Carlisle will move to center field after throwing 55 pitches.
Jack Cushing and Cam Naumann draw consecutive walks for Massachusetts to lead-off the inning.
Frankie Fasoli earned an inning-ending strikeout, his first of the game. Colman Gouthro fielded a ground ball at third base and Caden McCarthy fielded one at shortstop. Texas’ Parker Eaton drew a walk.
Sam Trotta launched a fly ball to left field and it landed at the base of the wall. Henry Kuka was tagged out at home plate on a well-executed relay by Texas’ outfielder Easton Pollard, shortstop Lucas Sontag and catcher Parker Eaton to end Massachusetts’ 3-run burst.
McCarthy slides home safely on a wild pitch to give Massachusetts the lead.
Caden McCarthy mashes a triple down the right-field line to score Gouthro and Fennell.
Colman Gouthro and Ryan Fennell reached on on consecutive errors made by the Texas infield attempting to field well-hit ground balls.
The locals will step to the plate in an early deficit. Two Texas runners were left on base in the first inning and Massachusetts’ pitcher Frankie Fasoli tossed 25 pitches.
Facing a full count on the eighth pitch of the at-bat, Luke Helmke drives a single to center field to score Jaxson Packard from second base.
Texas’ Brayden Carlisle sharply hit a single to left field to score Lucas Sontag (single) from second base with one out in the inning.
The sky in Williamsport has cleared and players are on the field warming up. The ESPN broadcast said the game will start at 4:29 p.m. It was previously announced to begin at 4:08 p.m.
The Czech Republic vs. Australia game is currently in a delay due to lightning in the area as Australia holds a 5-1 lead with one out in the top of the third inning.
Massachusetts vs. Texas will get underway when Czech Republic vs. Australia concludes.
Frankie Fasoli gets the start for Massachusetts. Brayden Carlisle will be on the mound for Texas.
Team Massachusetts (Braintree)
No. 15 Logan Needle, 2B
No. 2 Frankie Fasoli, P
No. 19 Colman Gouthro, 3B
No. 4 Ryan Fennell, C
No. 13 Caden McCarthy, 3B
No. 10 Henry Kuka, CF
No. 7 Jack Cushing
No. 16 Sam Trotta, LF
No. 12 Cam Naumann
No. 14 Owen Kippenhan, 1B
No. 9 Trevor Inglis
No. 8 Charlie Doolin RF
Coaches: Frank Fasoli, PJ Kippenhan, Shaun Needle.
Team Texas
No. 4 Lucas Sontag, SS
No. 2 Logan Williams, 2B
No. 3 Brayden Carlisle, P
No. 9 Jaxson Packard, CF
No. 8 Holden Disselkoen, 3B
No. 6 Luke Helmke, RF
No. 7 Benjamin Curtis
No. 10 Michael Frankie
No. 5 Parker Eaton, C
No. 14 Shane Grawe, 1B
No. 13 Joseph Miller
No. 1 Easton Pollard, LF
Coaches: Justin Pollard, Eric Grawe, Justin Carlisle.
Braintree swept through its district, sectional, state and regional tournaments prior to clinching the first LLWS berth in the program’s 72-year history. The team carried an 18-game winning streak into its World Series opener on Thursday, August 14, and it was snapped by a 13-0 loss to the Southeast champ (Irmo, South Carolina).
Texas, too, dropped its first game of the Little League World Series vs. the Metro region (Fairfield, Connecticut) on Wednesday, August 13. Connecticut’s Ben Herbst drove in the winning run on an RBI base hit in the fifth inning. There were a combined four hits in the game (3 for Connecticut; 1 for Texas). Texas pitcher Shane Grawe struck out 11 batters and allowed 2 hits and 2 walks in five innings.
All games in the Little League World Series will be broadcast on ESPN and streamed on ESPN+.
The local stars have been on site at the Little League World Series for one week. In that time, the players traded pins with players on teams from Japan, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Panama and elsewhere in the United States.
On top of hitting the practice fields and batting cages on off days, the players also took part in an Opening Day parade, received autographs from Baseball Hall of Famer Billy Wagner and toured the World of Little League Museum.
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