Gray-New Gloucester relief pitcher Kevin Cavallaro struck out the side in the bottom of the sixth inning to close the door on Buxton and give his team a 4-3 elimination-game win in the Maine District 6 Little League (11-12) all-star tournament last Thursday at Payson Park in Portland.

The loss eliminated Buxton from the double-elimination tournament. Gray-New Gloucester was later eliminated on Sunday with a 13-0 loss to South Portland National.

Thursday’s game was a back-and-forth affair, as Gray-New Gloucester jumped ahead 1-0 in the top of the first, only to have Buxton tie it at 1-1 in the bottom of the inning. Buxton took a 2-1 lead in the third, before Gray-New-Gloucester rallied for two in the fifth. Both teams scored a run in the sixth.

Nick Nelsonwood began the game with a single for Gray-New Gloucester. He advanced to third on Cavallaro’s double to left, but was thrown out when he attempted to score on a ball that got away from the Buxton catcher. Cavallaro moved to third on the play and scored on Blaine McNeice’s sacrifice bunt.

In the bottom of the first, Gray-New Gloucester starting pitcher David Tucci struck out the first two batters he faced before issuing a walk to Evan Dubay. Dubay eventually scored after a wild pitch and an error.

Tucci struck out the side in the second, but walked the bases loaded to start the third. Cavallaro relieved him at that point. After allowing an RBI single to Dubay to make it 2-1, Cavallaro struck out two and Buxton had a runner thrown out at the plate following a wild pitch.

Buxton starter Gage Parker allowed only one Gray-New Gloucester baserunner in the second, third and fourth innings combined, but ran into trouble in the fifth as Gray-New Gloucester sent eight batters to the plate. Pinch hitter Nick Rogers singled to lead off. After a strikeout, pinch hitter Dexter Castro walked. A single by Nelsonwood loaded the bases. Cavallaro’s bloop single knocked in one run and a two-out walk to Tyler Credit forced in another to make it 3-2.

Gray-New Gloucester went up 4-2 in the sixth after Elijah Roe doubled to lead off and later scored on a wild pitch.

Mike Head singled to lead off the bottom of the sixth for Buxton and scored after two wild pitches and an overthrow. But Cavallaro struck out the next three batters to end the game.

The Gray-New Gloucester pitchers combined for 14 strikeouts. Tucci had six and Cavallaro had eight.

Parker struck out seven in 5.2 innings for Buxton. Travon Dandridge entered in relief and struck out the only batter he faced.

Nelsonwood was 3-for-3 at the plate.