PAL 13’s bow out at regionals

Kevin Pomeroy
Posted 7/29/14

The Warwick PAL 13-year-old all-star team saw its summer run come to a close over the weekend at the New England Regional in Newtown, Conn., as the Rhode Island state champs dropped a pair of games …

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PAL 13’s bow out at regionals

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The Warwick PAL 13-year-old all-star team saw its summer run come to a close over the weekend at the New England Regional in Newtown, Conn., as the Rhode Island state champs dropped a pair of games in the double elimination tournament.

Yet, while disappointed to not still be playing, no one was hanging their heads, as Warwick already accomplished quite a bit to simply reach that point, and it held its own against the best in New England despite the results.

“I don’t think they have anything at all to be ashamed of,” said Warwick manager Billy Piccirillo. “They can hold their heads up high. They won three games in a 24-hour period against a state champion Cranston team. They should be very proud of themselves, and I am very proud of them also.”

Warwick opened tournament play in Newtown Saturday against the Eastern Mass. champion and came out on the wrong end of a 4-2 score.

Nick Laramee got the start on the mound and threw a complete game, allowing just two earned runs, but some defensive miscues ended up making the difference.

“We didn’t play our best defense as we did against Cranston,” Piccirillo said. “When you give teams a few errors, it usually costs you.”

Warwick took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first before Eastern Mass. tied the score in the home half. Eastern Mass. then added two more runs in the second and one in the third, and Warwick could only manage one more run in the fourth inning.

Eastern Mass. finished the game with seven hits, while Warwick had six. Warwick’s Will Martino drew a two-out walk in the seventh inning, but that was the last time the team threatened.

“It was a good game,” Piccirillo said. “We were in the game the whole way. We gave them a good battle, we just didn’t get to the end.”

That defeat sent Warwick into the loser’s bracket against Connecticut on Sunday, where it lost 12-2 in five innings due to the mercy rule.

Though the score was lopsided, the game was close through the first three innings, as Warwick trailed just 3-2 going into the bottom of the fourth.

From that point, however, Connecticut broke out, scoring six in the fourth and three in the fifth to finish the game.

Blake Roberge pitched four innings, while Martino pitched the final frame.

“I don’t think the score was indicative of the way the game was played,” Piccirillo said. “We just tired out a little.”

Connecticut banged out 13 hits on its way to the victory.

“We played very well up to the point of the fourth inning or so,” Piccirillo said.

Connecticut advanced to take on New Hampshire Monday, while Warwick returned home to Rhode Island after a strong summer.

And though this year is over, with two more years in Babe Ruth ahead of them, there is no official end in sight.

“This is the best group of ballplayers I’ve coached at a prep division since I’ve been coaching in Warwick the last eight years,” Piccirillo said. “They’re very mature, they’re very well-behaved and hopefully they’ll stay together and make another run next year.”

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