BRISTOL—Three outs from elimination and the end of a remarkable three-year run through the Little League softball ranks, the Bristol 12-year-old All-Stars refused to believe the game, or its New England Regional title hopes, were over.
For five innings, Connecticut’s bats were quiet. Then, with their season hanging by a thread, they came alive all at once.
Trailing 3-1 entering the bottom of the sixth inning, Connecticut scored three runs, highlighted by Lucy Bastiaanse’s inside-the-park home run and RBI singles from Makinnley Whitlock and Avery Collins, to rally past Rhode Island, 4-3, Thursday afternoon to win the New England Regional title and advance to the Little League Softball World Series.
The Little League Softball World Series begins on August 2 in Greenville, North Carolina.
The comeback erased what had been Rhode Island’s biggest inning of the tournament.
After Connecticut grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first when Lucy Kalat laid down a squeeze bunt that brought home Bastiaanse, Ava Lefurgey kept Rhode Island off balance early. The Connecticut right-hander struck out 12 batters, including eight over a dominant three-inning stretch from the second through the fifth.
Rhode Island finally broke through in the fourth.
An error and three consecutive hits turned the game around. Emma Arrighie lined a two-run double to right field to put Rhode Island ahead, 2-1, before pitcher Aubrey Riker followed with an RBI single. Dakota Green cut down Arrighie trying to score later in the inning to prevent further damage, but Rhode Island carried a 3-1 advantage into the late innings.
Riker was equally impressive in the circle, allowing just one run through five innings while keeping Connecticut from stringing together hits. She finished with four strikeouts and scattered 10 hits over 5 1/3 innings.
Connecticut finally cracked the code in the sixth.
After Bristol grounded out to begin the inning, Bastiaanse ignited the rally with an inside-the-park home run down the left field line, racing all the way around the bases to cut the deficit to 3-2.
Keeva Knowles followed with a single before Lucy Kalat ripped another base hit, putting runners on second and third with one out. Rhode Island elected to intentionally walk Lefurgey to load the bases, but Whitlock answered with a game-tying RBI single through the infield.
One batter later, Collins delivered the biggest hit of the afternoon, lining a single to plate Kalat with the go-ahead run and complete Bristol’s three-run rally.
Bastiaanse led Connecticut’s 10-hit attack, going 3-for-3 with two runs scored and the inside-the-park homer. Green collected two hits, while Knowles, Kalat, Whitlock, Collins and Faithmarie Soto each added a hit. Whitlock and Collins drove in the tying and winning runs, respectively.
It was Kalat who actually got the win, pitching just 0.1 innings in relief of Legurgey to get out of the sixth inning.
For Rhode Island, Chloe Whittenberger went 2-for-3, while Arrighie drove in two runs with her fourth-inning double. Riker added an RBI and also pitched effectively before Connecticut’s late rally.
Related coverage
- FROM THE DUGOUT: Avery Collins Found a Home While Bristol’s Little League Softball All-Stars Found a Difference-Maker
- HOME SWEET HOME: Bristol 12s Chasing New England Title In Their Own Backyard
- NEW ENGLAND LITTLE LEAGUE SOFTBALL REGIONAL: Lefurgey, Collins Lead Bristol To Opening-Round Win
- 2026 New England Little League Softball Regional Tournament Scoreboard
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