Westbrook was eliminated by South Portland American, 15-6, in the 11- and 12-year old District 6 Little League softball all-star tournament Monday at Falmouth.

Westbrook trailed by only a run, 7-6, entering the final inning, but a big sixth by South Portland put the game away.

With patience at the plate, South Portland took the lead in the first inning, scoring seven runs on two hits.

“That’s always been a downer for Westbrook,” coach Tim Haskell said. “The girls beating themselves up and getting down when things go wrong. This year they’ve moved on and gone to the next pitch; they haven’t dwelled on a bad call or a mistake.”

Westbrook could have quit after the first half inning, but instead clawed their way back with a gritty comeback to make the game close.

They began in the bottom of the second when Kayla Winton singled and Emily Haskell drove her in. Then, after a single by Jessie Harris, Megan Nichoff drove in Haskell, and it was 7-2.

After Harris, who started the game on the mound, retired South Portland one-two-three in the top of the third, Westbrook continued its comeback bid. Three straight singles by Olivia Marsden, Lindsey Driscoll and Winton, brought in two runs, making the score 7-4.

Four singles by Haley Berry, Kaelyn Galipeau, Driscoll and Haskell resulted in two more runs in the fifth, but Westbrook also saw two of their runners thrown out on the base paths, ending the rally.

Even after being eliminated, Haskell saw reason to be optimistic about Westbrook’s softball future.

“We made a lot of strides,” he said. “In the past we have been four or five years behind everyone else. The past winter we did a lot of work and it showed. We beat South Portland National (6-5) and we beat Scarborough (14-4), traditionally the two strongest programs. I think this the furthest we’ve ever gone in a tournament.”

Westbrook’s other loss in the double-elimination tournament was to a powerful Cape Elizabeth team, one of only three teams still alive.