Hampden loses in East region final Mainers fall shy of Series

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Hampden-Newburgh-Winterport Junior League softball team lost 4-1 in the championship game of the East regional, dashing the Maine representative’s chance to go to the Junior League World Series.

“There’s a little bit of disappointment,” HNW coach Rodney Wells said. “But they all know they had a great tournament and we have nothing to be ashamed of.”

Pennsylvania won the game and earned a berth to the World Series, which will be held in Kirkland, Wash., next week.

HNW managed five hits, including an Eva Shannon double. Starter Lacey Littlefield pitched a four-hitter with eight strikeouts and one walk.

Shannon had a double in the bottom of the seventh and scored on a Kasey Belcher single.

Errors hurt HNW as three throwing miscues brought in three Pennsylvania runs.

“[Pennsylvania] did the same thing to Maryland [in the semifinals],” Wells said. “We talked about that before the game, what they would do on the bases. They made us throw the ball around. The better team won today.”

Pennsylvania had just five baserunners.

HNW’s Mikki Libbey, Ashley Gott and Littlefield each chipped in with a single.

HNW went 4-1 in pool play, then beat Rhode Island 11-3 in the semifinals Wednesday.

The Maine team apparently made some friends at the regional.

“The umpires and the tournament directors told us they were all pulling for us,” Wells said. “They know we come from a small league and we were going up against teams that come from much bigger areas.”

Pennsylvania went undefeated in the tournament.

Most of the HNW girls will move on to Senior League (ages 15-16) next year and they’re already talking about next summer.

“They’re talking about whether they should do Senior League or [Amateur Softball Association],” Wells said. “I told them we could do both but I think they want to try again to get to the World Series. This team has a chance to get there.”