Port Washington, the New York State champions, are now two wins away from competing in the Little League World Series after a decisive 10-3 victory over Lincoln, Rhode Island, in their first regional tournament game. The contest took place Saturday evening at Leon J. Breen Field in Bristol, Connecticut.
Port Washington established an early lead in the first inning with an RBI double from left fielder Carlo Cafferata and another run driven in on a fielder's choice by first baseman Max Dempsey. The offense continued to build in the third inning when third baseman Jack Gomez hit a single that scored two runs, extending the lead to 4-0. Catcher Michael Gabriel later added to the score with an RBI walk.
Pitcher Drew Theoharis started for Port Washington, throwing two shutout innings with three strikeouts before giving way to Cafferata in the third inning. Theoharis allowed one hit and one run. Lincoln managed to cut the deficit to 6-2 in the bottom of the third with an RBI double and a subsequent fielder's choice.
Continued Offensive Push and Delay
In the fourth inning, second baseman Jackson Gorynski hit an RBI double that pushed Port Washington's lead to 7-2. The game experienced a 75-minute delay in the fifth inning due to lightning. After the delay, Cafferata allowed a run on a wild pitch but ended the inning with a crucial strikeout.
Port Washington extended their lead further in the final inning, with shortstop Brandon Kien driving in two runs with a single. Kien also scored on a wild pitch and an errant throw, bringing the score to 10-3. Infielder Eli Lambert was retired on a pop out to end the threat.
Second baseman Jackson Gorynski entered the game to close out the sixth inning. He successfully navigated a bases-loaded, two-out situation to secure the win.
Port Washington is scheduled to play its next game on Monday at 1 p.m. in the winners bracket. A victory in that game would advance them to the Metro Region finals. Should they lose Monday's game, they would have a double-elimination game on Wednesday for a chance to reach the tristate championship.