MANCHESTER, NH – Following a 6-2 showing through the round-robin pool stage of this year’s 11- and 12-year-old District 2 Little League tournament, the North Manchester/Hooksett All-Star team’s run came to an end after two games in the championship round.
The local nine entered the championship tournament bracket ranked third and traveled to the seacoast Monday, where they fell to second-seeded Portsmouth, 9-3, and then made the short trek to Auburn where they were ousted from the tourney by top-ranked Lamprey River, 10-3, on Tuesday.
Despite the disappointing conclusion, North Manchester/Hooksett head coach Sean Jordan credited his young athletes for their hard work and dedication throughout the all-star season.
“These boys bought into the team mentality and played for each other every game and busted their butts at practice everyday,” he said. “Balls didn’t always bounce their way, but they kept their heads up and fought the entire way.”
Brett Marino, Brayden Travis, Gunner Jordan and Levi MacMichael paced the offense, while Alex Ayotte, MacMichael and Ben Wilhelm stood out among pitchers, he said.
Travis went 2-for-3 with a double and run scored while leading off Monday against Portsmouth. Hollis Brown went 1-for-2, walking once and driving Travis across the plate.
Ayotte also had a run scored after doubling and earning a walk in that contest, while Brooks Benson also contributed a double and run scored.
Trudel strikeout six and didn’t allow an earned run in 2.1 innings Monday, Ayotte struck out two in 2.1 innings, and Wilhelm also added a strikeout.
Against Lamprey River, Travis, Gunner Jordan, Marino, MacMichael and Marcus each contributed to the six-hit effort, with Trudel adding a double. Wilhelm, Marino and Trudel accounted for North Manchester/Hooksett’s three runs, with MacMichael knocking in two of those runs and Travis providing the other RBI.
Wilhelm also struck out four, while Marino added a K from the mound.
In addition to their standout play on the field, Gunner Jordan and Wilhelm also stepped up as leaders both on and off the diamond throughout the all-star season, said the elder Jordan.
MacMichael, added the head coach, is part of a talented crop of 11-year-olds – including Brown, Marcus Luce and Owen Kingsley – who are likely to return next season with all-star experience.
They’ll be joined by many members of the North Manchester/Hooksett 10- and 11-year-old all-stars, who are scheduled to complete their round-robin play tonight at 6 p.m. at Concord.
Manchester Ink Link will provide coverage of the younger all-stars as they enter the knockout phase of the tournament next week.
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