The King Philip Little League’s all-star team for 9, 10 and 11-year-olds will play for a state title this week, when they head to Cranston to take on Coventry Thursday.

King Philip heads to the finals after dispatching Cranston West and Lincoln this past week in games that could not have been more different — or thrilling — for the many Bristol fans who made the journey to Cranston to cheer on the home team in both contests. 

Bristol opened play last Saturday against Lincoln, crushing the squad from northern Rhode Island 11-1. Riley Boughton started the game for Bristol and held Lincoln scoreless in the first inning. Bristol led off the bottom of the first with a leadoff walk to Ethan Santerre. After two outs followed, Jacob Ferreira singled home Santerre with a line drive single to center field.

But the flood gates really opened up in the bottom of the second. Boughton and Carson Jerome led off with back-to-back singles, and four straight walks to James Bistline, Santerre, Jonathan Kay and Logan Dubois forced in three runs to put King Philip up 4-0.

Next, Ferreira stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and crushed a bases-clearing double to make it 7-0. Lucas Andreozzi then singled to put runners at the corners. Brian Abruzzi followed with a sacrifice  fly to plate Ferreira, putting Bristol up 8-0 after two innings.

Boughton went three-and-a-third innings, allowing one run, before Ethan Santerre came in for two outs to finish the fourth. 

The game could have gotten closer if not for a great catch by Colby Konz with the bases loaded to end a Lincoln threat. Bristol tacked on three runs in the bottom of fourth to end the contest early via the mercy rule by a score of 11-1. 

Next up for Bristol was Cranston West on Monday afternoon. To say this was a great game would be an understatement. With a large Bristol crowd making the trek to Cranston to cheer on King Philip, both teams put on a show of pitching and defensive baseball. Bristol jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first on back-to-back doubles by Kay and Dubois. That would be the only run of the game.

Ethan Santerre dominated the Cranston West team, going five innings while striking out nine and allowing only two hits and a walk. Jacob Ferreira came in to close the game in the top of the sixth to secure the win. The game saw many great defensive plays, including Cranston West players robbing T.J. Castriotta and Matthew MacDougall of sure hits. But none stood out more than Quinn Frawley's great catch in the top of the sixth to rob Cranston West of extra bases.

Bristol will face Coventry for the state championship Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at 450 Hope Road in Cranston.