Junior LL Regionals: Johnston Outscores Rivals 22-13 to Reach Finals

For a second straight year, Johnston's road to the Junior Little League World Series includes two must-win games on the final day of the East Regional Tournament in Freehold, NJ.

Johnston is scheduled to play undefeated Franklin Square, NY, starting at 11 am today. A win by the local squad would force a title-deciding second game, set for 2 pm this afternoon.

On Wednesday, Johnston outscored its two opponents by a combined 22-13, including a 9-6 victory over Dunbar, PA, in the early game and a nighttime victory over Tolland, CT, according to online reports by Gamechanger.

"They were not worried at all," coach Joe Santilli said via text message early Thursday morning. "They said to me 'We got this, coach,' and they certainly did."

Last year, the local squad , in back-to-back contests to earn a trip to Taylor, MI, and the Junior Little League World Series, and Santilli explained that several of the players on this year's team also played for the 2011 Regional champions.

"We have six [who were] in this same spot last year, and they are confident — and the new kids all buy in," Santilli said.

Game 1: Local squad pushes through mid-game tie:

After surrendering two runs to Pennsylvannia in the afternoon game, Johnston rallied for five runs in the bottom of the second and maintained the lead through the end of the match-up.

John Willette went 4-for-4 at the plate, and Marc Conte scored 3 runs on a 3-for-3 performance to help Johnston to the victory.

Nick Raposo gave up four runs on six hits over 5.0 innings, though he and reliever Willette kept Dunbar scoreless through the last four innings.

Raposo triggered the Johnston rally with a single to left that scored Conte, and added his own trip to the plate to runs by Jake Coro, Michael Caparco, and Armani Henderson for the 5-2 lead in the second.

Dunbar tallied three in the third, but Johnston broke the tie in the home half of the inning on Conte's hustle to reach the plate on Gilheeney's single to center.

Conte's single in the bottom of the fourth scored Henderson, and Williette followed up with another run to being the score to 8-6. Conte then scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the sixth to complete Johnston's offense.

Less than a half-hour later, the Johnston team took the field again, this time against Tolland, CT, for the rights to play in the finals.

Game 2: Johnston fends off late charge:

In the 7 pm contest, Willette (3-for-4), Henderson (2-for-2), and Fijal (2-for-3) scored in the first to trigger a 13-run tally over the first four innings, and Johnston held off a four-run rally in the bottom of the sixth by Connecticut to improve their record to 4-1 overall.

Willette also paced the defense, pitching 4.1 innings and holding Tolland to three runs on five hits and whiffing nine.

After Tolland brought the score even in the third, Johnston responded with four runs in the fourth, including Corey Mabray's score on Conte's grounder to the pitcher. Henderson and Fijal took advantage of a wild pitches and passed ball, respectively, and Raposo delivered Conte across the plate on a single to center.

The Connecticut squad knocked Henderson for three runs in his relief appearance in the sixth, and tagged Coro for two more before Conte snagged a fly ball to end the inning.

Caparco scored Mabray on a line drive to wrap Johnston's scoring in the top of the seventh, and Johnston's pitching shut down Tolland to end the contest and eliminate the Connecticut squad.

Watch JohnstonPatch for updates and coverage of today's games.