By Matt Rushford
Special to the Observer
The Williston 9- and10-year-old all-star baseball team recorded another strong showing last weekend, winning its final two games of pool play on Saturday and Sunday to finish undefeated in that round.
On Saturday’s game against Burlington American, Williston continued its impressive streak of shutout baseball, blanking the Burlington team 11-0. Aidan Johnson and Storm Rushford pitched lights-out baseball in the four-inning mercy rule-shortened game, racking up six strike outs and allowing only three hits. Only 15 total plate appearances were extended to the Burlington team. Ben Mazza and Griffin McDermott both contributed extra base hits. Catcher Jacob Boliba, the rock-solid receiver for Williston’s intimidating pitching corps, went one for two with a base hit and a fielder’s choice.
On Sunday, the Shelburne little leaguers gave the Williston team a run for its money, taking a small four-run deficit into the fifth inning. Strong pitching by starter Griffin McDermott and reliever Baker Angstman held Shelburne to just one run in five hits, with only one walk allowed in the game. Hitting support by Ben Herskowitz, Ryan Eaton and McDermott contributed to an 8-1 final score. That one run scored by Shelburne, with two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning, was the first and only run Williston allowed in their four games of pool play.
The boys of summer head into the double-elimination tournament with the top seed and a first-round bye.
