The Barrington 12U All Star baseball team knocked off the District 2 defending champions and state runners-up Portsmouth in an eight inning thriller on Wednesday night, July 12. 

With the 3-2 victory, Barrington advances to the District 2 finals against undefeated Pawtucket on Saturday, July 15 at 5:45 p.m. The game will be played at Slater Park. Barrington needs to defeat Pawtucket twice to earn a trip to the state tournament. 

Barrington took a 2-0 lead in the first inning against Portsmouth. 

Thomas Lawson drew a walk to lead off, and Sean Caldarella singled. Portsmouth got two outs on ground balls, but Barrington’s Pat Hodgkin delivered a clutch single that scored two runs. 

Portsmouth stormed back with a run in the bottom of the first inning. The Portsmouth lead-off hitter, Mitch Silvia, slapped a double and scored when Jimmy Brassard hit a single. Barrington pitcher Mahir Salahuddin ended the inning when he struck out Sebastian Cornwell. 

Portsmouth tied the game in the bottom of the second. Owen Windley led off with a single, and two outs later Parker Stalls dropped a bunt. Barrington pitcher Salahuddin grabbed the ball threw to first, but the ball struck Stalls and careened into the outfield. That allowed Windley to score and knot the game at 2-2. 

But that was all the scoring either team could muster through the first seven innings. In the eighth inning, teams start with a runner on second base. 

In the top of the eighth, Barrington had Hodgkin on second to start the inning. Ous Auber moved Hodgkin to third on a ground ball out to second. Mikael Molines then slapped a grounder that found its way through the right side of the infield — the single scored Hodgkin and gave Barrington a 3-2 edge. 

In the bottom of the eighth, Portsmouth started with Windley on second. Barrington’s relief pitcher Lawson struck out Tommy Wood. Sebastian Elshant hit a grounder to Lawson, who threw to first base for the second out. Lawson struck out Stalls to end the game. 

Salahuddin struck out eight Portsmouth batters in 5 and 1/3 innings, while Lawson struck out six in 2 and 2/3 innings.