5 days ago
Braintree loses first game of Little League World Series, 13-0, to Irmo, South Carolina
The Braintree Little League team suffered its first loss of the summer Thursday in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The Braintree American 12A squad ran into a buzzsaw in the Irmo, South Carolina team, which handed the Womps a 13-0 loss at the Little League World Series.
Braintree's offense was completely shut down by Irmo starting pitcher Joe Giulietti, who tossed 3.1 innings of no-hit ball and fanned eight batters during his time on the mound. Giulietti also helped his own cause with the bat in the bottom of the second inning when he crushed a grand slam off Braintree starter Coleman Gouthro, which put Irmo on top 8-0 at the time.
Braintree got it's only hit of the day when Gouthro lined a single to left in the top of the fourth off reliever Brody Miller. But that was it for the Womps, who needed to score four or more runs in the fourth just to keep the game going. Ryan Fennell grounded out after Gouthro's single to end the game.
Braintree will get another chance to advance through the elimination bracket, but will have an uphill battle to remain in Williamsport. Braintree will next play Richmond, Texas on Saturday at 3 p.m., and now has to win five straight games to make it to the U.S Final.
Richmond lost, 1-0, to the team from Fairfield, Connecticut on Wednesday.
Braintree ran into trouble early in Thursday's game. After being held scoreless in the top of the first, the Womps were tagged for a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame.
Irmo shortstop Preston Ware took the first pitch from Gouthro and lined it to center for a single. Giulietti followed by hooking a double down the left field line to get Ware to third, and the leadoff man scored two batters later on a sac fly by catcher Andrew Bogan to put Irmo on top, 1-0.
Gouthro got to two strikes on Ryan Tillitz with two outs, but the Irmo right fielder ripped an RBI single to left to give his team a 2-0 edge. Gouthro then got first baseman Jacob Gibson looking to end the frame.
Caden McCarthy worked a leadoff walk for Braintree to start the top of the second. But Giulietti fanned the next three batters, including both Jack Cushing and Charlie Doolin looking at strike three to end the frame.
Irmo then tagged Braintree for six runs in the bottom of the second, including Giulietti's big swing to end Gouthro's outing.
After Braintree went down in order in the top of the third -- which saw Giulietti strike out all three batters -- Irmo scored two more runs off two wild pitches by Henry Kuka to go up 10-0.
Irmo scored another run off a bases loaded walk, and plated two more on a fielder's choice and an error by third baseman Caden McCarthy in the bottom of the third to make it a 13-0 game. Braintree couldn't rally for four runs to keep the game going, and Irmo won after just four innings.
Braintree is the first Massachusetts team to make it to Williamsport since Middleboro in 2022. They got there with a summer of perfection.
The Womps swept their summer schedule and went on to win the District 8 tournament, the Section 2 tournament, and the Massachusetts state tournament to earn a spot in the New England Regionals in Bristol, Connecticut. Braintree swept those too, with big wins over Maine (15-0) and Vermont (10-0) before an extra-innings walk-off win over Bedford, New Hampshire in the championship game.
