The Yarmouth Little League state champions will be out to do something that hasn’t been done since 2005 when they open play today in the East Regional at Bristol, Conn.

They will be hoping to advance to the Little League World Series at South Williamsport, Pa. No Maine team has reached the Series since Westbrook did it six years ago.

Yarmouth will meet Goffstown, N.H., in its opener at 2 p.m. today. Yarmouth also will play Fairfield, Conn., at 8 p.m. Saturday; Barre, Vt., at 11 a.m. Sunday; and Andover, Mass., at 10 a.m. Tuesday.

The top four New England teams will advance to the semifinals Thursday, with the championship game Aug. 13.

Yarmouth Coach Jay Tobias said he and his staff spent time Tuesday preparing the team for a bigger stage.

“We talked about the field and the stands that hold 3,500 people,” Tobias said. “We are a smaller community represented and we talked about holding emotions.”

Yarmouth, which last won the state title in 2006, won the District 6 championship to reach the state tournament, then defeated York 2-1, Old Town 10-0 and then York again, 6-3.

“We knew it wasn’t going to be an easy road,” Tobias said. “District 6 is such a difficult bracket to get out of and the district championship felt like a state tournament alone.”

Tobias had been proud of his team’s attitude.

“Every game, two or three of the players step up and take a leadership role,” he said. “They encourage each other. I have yet to hear one negative comment from one player to another. It’s a family atmosphere.”

Tobias can’t remember a player missing a practice in their eight weeks together. He noted second baseman Chris Romano’s chatter and support on the field.

“Chris is our version of (Dustin) Pedroia,” he said. “When he’s on the basepaths, he’s going to take a base when you’re not looking. He doesn’t quit and he encourages chatter.”

Still, the regionals will be something new.

“There are a lot of new distractions and they are aware of it,” Tobias said. “We need to make sure they are relaxed going into this new environment.”

Yarmouth used Conor O’Donnell, Joe DeFusco, Luke Klenda and Bobby Murray on the mound in the state tournament.

For the regional tournament, three more will be added: Noah Pellerin, C.J. Cawley and Nick Amoroso.

The New England Sports Network will provide live coverage of select games with Jack Edwards, the play-by-play announcer for the Boston Bruins, as one of the commentators.

He will be joined on the air by Ken Ryan, a former Red Sox pitcher.

“There is an intense amount of pressure because these kids really want to win,” Edwards said. “They realize they are one tournament away from Williamsport, which is the big enchilada.”

Edwards said he’s always impressed by the talent and mental knowledge of the game that comes from the Maine teams.

“They are technical, smart, and they play the hit-the-cutoff- man type of baseball,” he said. “It’s impressive.”

Each of the New England teams will have one guaranteed game on NESN. Yarmouth’s will be against Andover.

NESN also will cover the semifinals and final.

Staff Writer Austin Pollack can be contacted at: 791-6356 or at:

apollack@pressherald.com

 

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