Manchester Little League Playoffs Begin

Another season of Manchester Little League baseball is in the books, while the major league division's playoffs kicked off in exciting fashion this weekend.

After each team played 16 games of regular season ball, the league’s 15 teams began the double-elimination tournament on Saturday. The playoffs will culminate with two teams beginning a championship round on June 14.

“You can almost guarantee an early upset every season,” said league President Paul Rubin, and this year was no exception.

Lynch Toyota, which finished next-to-last in the league, stunned third place Tweedie Dental, while Carter Chevrolet also pulled an upset on Lawyers to highlight Saturday action.

Other Saturday winners included Ansaldi’s, Lion’s Club, Allied Printing, Surroundings, and Nutmeg Mechanical.

The major league features kids from 10-12 years old, but Manchester also provides leagues for other ages, including Farm, Rookie, Challenger, and Tee-Ball divisions. In all, the programs serve roughly 1,000 young ballplayers across town. The majors generally receive the most attention since they compete at the highest level, and because the best players are selected after the playoffs to compete in the worldwide Little League World Series tournament.

One of the major storylines this season was the weather, with unusual amounts of rain and snow postponing several games. But despite these issues, the league can now boast its most impressive statistic: every single game was able to be played, with each major league team finishing its schedule in the entirety.

Economy Oil, which won the championship last year, stood atop this year’s regular season standings with a 15-1 record. Their only loss was to second place Lions Club, which could set the stage for a championship-round rematch. But it won’t be an easy road for Economy. Rubin says the No. 1 seed has won the title for the past eight years. 

Future games will be held at Bagshaw, Dettore, and Leber fields in Manchester. Complete schedules and locations can be found on the league website.