A Quiet Night in Bristol
The New England Region opener for the Gray‑New Gloucester/Raymond Little League team turned into a steep uphill battle as they fell 7‑0 to a dominant Massachusetts squad in Bristol, Connecticut.
From the first inning, Massachusetts set the tone, loading the bases and striking early. Jackson Morin and Luke Schaltz delivered singles that pushed across two runs, while Dominik Mombeleur’s three‑run homer in the second stretched the lead to 3‑0.
Mombeleur, who also took the mound, delivered a strong outing, tossing 4 ⅓ innings, fanning 12 batters and walking only four. Relievers Beau Amergian, Elliott Szczesniak and Drew Clark shut down the opposition over the final 2 ⅔ frames, allowing just a single run.
Jude DeSimone, who finished the game on the mound, threw 1 ⅔ scoreless innings, preserving the shutout. At the plate, Morin went 3‑for‑3 with two RBI and a run scored, while DeSimone added three hits and two RBI from Anthony Sullivan.
For Gray‑New Gloucester/Raymond, the offense was silent until the sixth inning, when they finally managed a hit. The team, making its second appearance in the New England tournament in four years, will now drop into the loser’s bracket and meet New Hampshire’s Portsmouth at 4 p.m. Sunday.
Looking Ahead
Despite the loss, the Maine champions remain hopeful. Their previous tournament run in 2023 led them all the way to the Little League World Series, and the experience could prove vital as they aim to rebound against Portsmouth.
The upcoming matchup will test whether the Maine squad can translate their defensive grit into offensive production. With key contributors like Parker Welch and the pitching staff still fresh, the team hopes to rewrite the script in the next game.