East Lyme wins Section 3 crown

MADISON — The East Lyme Little League team took a lead on Madison in extra innings Friday night, only to see the home team battle back in the bottom of the inning.

But East Lyme didn’t rattle. Some of the kids probably reflected back on something the all-star team preaches.

“One of the things we always say is, ‘We’re the team that what?’ And they reply back, ‘Stays calm,’” East Lyme manager Joel Farrior said.

So when it was Cooper Siragusa’s turn to deliver an RBI in the top of the ninth inning at Nelson Field, he did. That was the deciding run to give East Lyme the 4-3 win over Madison in nine innings to capture the Section 3 tournament.

“This feels great,” Siragusa said. ”This feels awesome.”

Siragusa delivered a one-out double to right field in the top of the ninth inning, scoring Kyle Celemme to put East Lyme up 4-3.

“I was getting a little jumpy because I wanted to hit,” Siragusa said. “The ball was kind of up in the zone but I still made contact with it.”

Once you get through seven innings, it becomes “California Rules” in Little League. Like Major League Baseball, once you hit extra innings, the player who made last out the previous inning goes to second base to start the next inning.

So that’s where Celemme was when Siragusa drove him home.

Jake Palermo was the winning pitcher in relief for East Lyme. He walked the leadoff batter to start the ninth to give Madison a pair of runners on base. But Palermo worked out of further trouble with a pair of strikeouts and then caught the last out to send East Lyme to the state tournament beginning Wednesday.

“This was a fun game to be a part of. That’s what our hope was, excitement and life lessons for the players. Overall, just a great experience for both teams,” Madison manager Tim Kessell said. “Hopefully, there are some lessons they are taking from this game that will last long after the tears stop flowing for them tonight.”

The game was tied at 1 through regulation. Madison had a shot to win it in the bottom of the seventh inning. Liam Balogh doubled and Ashton Hagen singled back up the middle. But East Lyme center fielder Bradley Ament threw out pinch runner Michael Ferraiolo at the plate.

“Bradley is one of the best center fielders I ever have had the privilege of coaching,” Farrior said. “I never have to worry about him being in the right place or the right position . He was one of those unsung heroes tonight.”

Wyatt Farrior’s two-run home run gave East Lyme a 3-1 lead in the top of the eighth. Josh Maynard answered with a two-run double in the bottom of the frame.

It all set up Siragusa’s heroics.