The Little League World Series in Williamsport, Penn. is oh-so-close.
As the New England Regionals begin on Saturday in Bristol, Conn., four teams are three wins away from reaching the world series. Team Massachusetts (Bridgewater American) and Vermont (Burlington) kick off the regionals on Saturday at 10 a.m. at the A. Bartlett Giamatti Little League Leadership Training Center.
The game can be watched on ESPN+, but you can stick right here for updates. New Hampshire (Salem) and Maine (Portland) will play at 1 p.m. in the other opening game. Winners advance to the semifinals in the modified double-elimination tournament on Monday at 9 a.m. (ESPN). The losing teams will play in an elimination game on Sunday at 4 p.m. (ESPN+).
More:Bridgewater Little League at Regionals: How to watch
More:Bridgewater wins Massachusetts Little League state crown. Next up: Regionals
What's next for Bridgewater and Burlington?
Bridgewater is now two wins away from reaching the Little League World Series in Williamsport, and will play the winner of Maine vs. New Hampshire (Saturday at 1 p.m.) on Monday at 9 a.m. on ESPN.
Burlington is not done yet, but will play the loser of Maine vs. New Hampshire to remain alive in the tournament on Sunday at 4 p.m. on ESPN+. The loser of that game goes home.
FINAL: Bridgewater 9, Burlington 0
Gonzalez came in to relieve Moyer in the top of the sixth and sealed the victory for Bridgewater. Moyer and Gonzalez combined to shutout Burlington on only three hits over six innings. Bridgewater recorded nine runs on 13 hits with no errors on the day.
End of fifth inning: Bridgewater 9, Burlington 0
Agnew and the rest of Burlington's defense kept Bridgewater scoreless for the first half inning of the game. Bridgewater is a half inning away from the victory.
Middle of fifth inning: Bridgewater 9, Burlington
Bridgewater is now one inning away from winning its first game of the tournament. Moyer struck out the side, again, and retired 14 straight Burlington batters. He struck out the last batter he could face due to the 85 pitch limit. Moyer finishes the day with 10 strikeouts over five innings pitched, no earned runs on two hits, and one walk.
End of fourth inning: Bridgewater 9, Burlington 0
Bridgewater added some insurance runs in the bottom of the fourth with a couple of RBI singles from Genatossio, Gonzalez, and McHargue. Genatossio drove in Brady to make the score 6-0, followed by a 2-RBI single from Gonzalez. McHargue drove in Gonzalez with an RBI-single, but was thrown out trying to reach second.
Brady reached on a single that hit the third base bag to start the inning to go 2-2 on the day for Bridgewater, and Micah Poulter drew a full-count walk. Illo Heilenbach came in to relieve Nichols for Burlington to start the fourth, and was replaced by Jimmy Agnew who retired the side.
Middle of fourth inning: Bridgewater 5, Burlington 0
After a 27 pitch first inning, Moyer has only thrown 45 pitches over the last three innings, bringing his total to 72, and has now recorded three straight 1,2,3 innings. Moyer and Bridgewater's defense has kept Burlington to just two hits through four innings.
End of third inning: Bridgewater 5, Burlington 0
Brycen Buker opened up the game for Bridgewater with a 2-RBI triple to make the score 4-0, driving in O'Hearn and Florence. The scoring started after a video review overturned a call from O'Hearn being ruled out at first, giving O'Hearn his second infield single of the day.
Florence reached on a fielder's choice the next at bat and both runners were safe after an errant throw to second base before Buker's triple. Buker then scored on a passed ball to make the score 5-0. Bridgewater is now 4-8 in the game with runners in scoring position.
Middle of third inning: Bridgewater 2, Burlington 0
Moyer has found a grove. He struck out the side in the top of the third and has struck out six of the last seven batters to keep Burlington scoreless.
End of second inning: Bridgewater 2, Burlington 0
Bridgewater tacked on another run with a Mason Genatossio two-out double, driving in Logan Brady who lead the inning off with a single. Burlington Pitcher Emery Nichols got out of the inning the next at bat with Jeremiah Gonzalez hitting a hard line-out to center field.
Middle of second inning: Bridgewater 1, Burlington 0
Moyer settled in during the second after working out of a bases loaded jam in the first. He recorded a 1,2,3 inning. He has 48 pitches through 2 innings.
End of first inning: Bridgewater 1, Burlington 0
Bridgewater opened the scoring in the bottom of the first thanks to a sacrifice fly to left field by Brycen Buker. Landon O'Hearn scored from third after reaching on an infield single. After advancing to second on a past ball, Jake Florence recorded a single up the middle to get O'Hearn to third before scoring.
Moyer works out of jam in first
Bridgewater American starting pitcher Brendan Moyer worked out of a bases-loaded jam by making a pair of nice plays on comebackers and then got a strike out to leave the bases loaded in the top of the first.
Time and temp
The teams are expected to take the field any minute as it reaches 10:05 a.m. It is currently 79 degrees and partly cloudy in Bristol, with temps expected to get into the low 80s around 11 a.m.
Burlington American lineup
Here is Burlington American's lineup for game 1 of the New England Regional:
Johnny Loescher, SS
Jimmy Agnew, 1B
Finch Heilenbach, C
Owen O'Sullivan, 3B
Emery Nichols, P
Illo Heilenbach, 2B
Calvin MacHarg, CF
Devon Bolton, LF
Wesley Price, RF
Felix Rubinchuk
Parker Hagan
Matthew Weinberger
Bridgewater American lineup announced
First pitch is set to get underway in just under a half hour. Here is Bridgewater American's lineup:
Landon O'Hearn, RF
Jake Florence, C
Brycen Buker, CF
Luke Fantasia, 1B
Cameron Goodwin, SS
Jake Tayag
Logan Brady, LF
Brendan Moyer, P
Micah Poulter, 3B
Mason Genatossio
Jeremiah Gonzalez
Hunter McHargue, 2B
How Bridgewater reached the New England Regionals
On July 10, Bridgewater held on for a nail-biter over Plymouth, 4-3, in the District 7 final. On July 21, the summer fun continued as Bridgewater defeated Braintree, 5-3, to claim the Section 2 title and advance to states. On July 28, Bridgewater claimed the program's first-ever state title with a 3-1 win over Acton-Boxboro.
