Junior LL Tourney: Johnston Goes 2-0

Johnston's 13- to 14-year-old All Star team took a step closer to repeating as state champions on July 23 and 24, winning both of their first two games at .

The host team now awaits the winner of the July 27 East Greenwich vs. Glocester contest. Each team had a victory against Riverside over the weekend to secure their spots in the semifinal match-up.

July 23: Johnston 6, EG 3

In the late game on Day 1 of the state tournament, Johnston overcame two passed balls that resulted in East Greenwich scores, and Gian Martellini hit a home run on the way to a 6-3 victory.

East Greenwich center fielder Quinn Sullivan scored for the visitors in the top of the first on a bases-loaded walk surrendered by Johnston starting pitcher Korey Fijal, who stranded three EG runners by stopping a Joe Gasbarro grounder to end the inning.

Martellini gave Johnston the lead, 2-1, on a deep blast that cleared the center field fence in the bottom of the third.

The host team widened the lead to 4-1 in the top of the fourth behind Mike Caparco's RBI line drive to center field that brought home Marc Conte, and Zach Coro's hit to center that scored Caparco.

With bases loaded, Johnston's Joe Bongiovanni drilled a liner toward second that was nabbed by Sam Alkins to stall the Johnston rally.

East Greenwich scored two runs on back-to-back passed balls by Martellini, who took the mound in relief in the top of the fifth.

That was as close as EG would get, as Fijal brought home Larry Dureault on an RBI double and Conte assisted Fijal with his own double to right field in the bottom of the fifth to make the tally 6-3.

Coro closed out the game in the top of the seventh, whiffing two EG batters and forcing starting pitcher Peter Goretoy into a pop-fly to left field that stranded Ross Dean on base.

July 24: Johnston 20, Glocester 2

Johnston was in control from the get-go in the 4 p.m. game on July 24, and cruised to a 20-2 victory over Glocester.

Johnston scored two runs in the top of the first without registering a hit. Joe Bongiovanni reached first safely when Glocester's Matt Taillon dropped a throw from shortstop Jim Greene, allowing James Picchi to score.

Larry Dureault laid down a suicide squeeze to score Martellini from third, extending the lead to 2-0.

Johnston took complete control of the game in the second inning, after Picchi's sacrifice fly brought in the third run of the game, and Martellini picked up an RBI on an infield single. 

Dureault's single to left field drove in two runs, padding the lead to 7-0. Armani Henderson drew a walk with the bases loaded bringing in the eighth run of the game.

Aaron Perfetto, Henderson, and Martellini all picked up RBIs on bases-loaded walks in the third inning on the way to adding 10 more scores to their tally.

Bongiovanni drove in two runs with a single to right field, capping off the inning and pushing the lead to 17-0. Glocester scored two down the stretch, but Johnston responded with three more to make the final score 20-2.

Officials called the game after the fifth inning under the league's 10-run rule.

Johnston can clinch the state title outright with a victory on July 29; a second game is scheduled for July 30 if necessary.