EAST PROVIDENCE — The 2022 Rhode Island Little League All-Star season began last week with the start of the District 2 Major Baseball Division Tournament in which two local entries competed.

The combined Riverside/East Providence Central Stars won their opener against neighboring Barrington, 3-1, but dropped their next outing in Portsmouth, 5-2, to fall into the losers’ bracket of the double-elimination event.

Newport is the next opponent for Riverside/East Providence Central after defeating the other local team in the bracket, Rumford, in a losers’ bracket game, 8-1. Rumford’s two-game stay in the competition began with a 3-2 loss to northern neighbor Pawtucket.

Riverside/East Providence Central travels to Newport’s Hogan Field on Wednesday, July 6, at 5:45 p.m.

Also from baseball, the Ron Silva Minor All-Star tournament includes a Rumford entry, which opened play Wednesday, June 29, in Darlington (Pawtucket).

The 9-11 Baseball Division event is next to start on Thursday, June 30, with East Providence playing Portsmouth and Riverside meeting Bristol/Warren.
The rest of the District 2 division tournaments start in earnest after the July 4 holiday.

The joint EP Central/Riverside/Rumford Junior Baseball team awaits the Barrington-Pawtucket winner in its opener on Wednesday, July 6.
Rumford’s entry in the 8-10 Baseball event also travels to Newport’s Hogan Field on Tuesday, July 12.

— East Providence Post and eastbayri.com contributing photographer Julie Furtado shot the accompanying gallery of photos.