The South Portland Nationals (11- and 12-year-olds) won their last two games in the East Regional tournament in Albany this week, but it wasn’t enough to advance the team to the final round.
Meanwhile, the Scarborough Junior League softball all-stars will be playing in the East Regional Tournament in upstate New York, running Aug. 6 through Aug. 11.
The Scarborough girls leave for their tournament Friday, with play beginning Saturday. Whichever team emerges from the east will play in the Junior League World Series in Kirkland, Wash., starting Aug. 14.
Coach Jon Perruzzi’s team recovered from two early losses to win a pair of games at the East Regional.
After losing to Connecticut Saturday, 4-0, then falling to Rhode Island on Sunday 14-4, the Maine girls came back to beat Massachusetts 12-2 on Monday, then Vermont Tuesday, 11-3.
The pair of wins lifted the South Portland girls to third place of six teams, but it wasn’t enough to make the final pairing for the championship (which will feature Massachusetts vs. Connecticut on Thursday.)
“They exceeded our expectations,” said Perruzzi. “The last two games were nice. Our offense came alive and they actually played more relaxed.”
In the loss to Connecticut, South Portland pitcher Alexis Bogdanovich pitched well enough to win, tossing a two-hitter and striking out 14 batters. She also had her team’s only hit, a single in the first inning.
In the loss to Rhode Island, Amanda Linscott did her part at the plate, knocking three hits. South Portland had a 4-0 lead in that game, but saw it slip away in the middle innings.
South Portland’s girls defeated Massachusetts in 3 A?1?2 innings, thanks to the 10-run rule. Bogdanovich pitched another gem, striking out 11 in the shortened game. Maura Esten, Abby Reny and Shelby Aitkenhead all had two singles each to spark the offense.
Linscott pitched a complete-game, one-hitter against Vermont, striking out 12 batters. The only hit she allowed came in the sixth inning. Kaitlin Norton led the South Portland offense that game, knocking a pair of singles and a double.
The South Portland girls made it that far by going 3-0 in the state tournament, held in South Portland. The clincher came when Reny pitched a 2-0 shutout over Camden-Rockport last Thursday.
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