PITTSFIELD, Mass. - Luca Bassi struck out four and allowed four hits in four innings Friday to lead the Pittsfield Little League 10-year-old All-Stars to an 11-1 win over Longmeadow in an elimination game in the Section 1 Tournament at Deming Park.

 

Bassi helped his cause by going 2-for-2 with a double and a pair of RBIs as Pittsfield stayed alive to advance to Saturday’s game at Holden, a 3-2 loser against Westfield on Friday night.

 

Bassi left a runner on third base in three of four innings in Friday’s complete-game effort. He left the bases loaded in the top of the third and had runners on second and third with one out trying to preserve a 10-run lead in the fourth.

 

Each time, Pittsfield’s pitcher and flawless defense kept the visitors off the scoreboard.

 

“He just bore down and threw strikes and challenged tonight,” Pittsfield coach Matt Stracuzzi said. “He was really set and taking his time.

 

“If it was MLB, he would have been penalized [by the pitch clock], but I give him a lot of credit, because he took control. And I loved it. It’s just what we needed.”

 

A day after using six arms in a sectional-opening loss to Westfield, Pittsfield was able to ride Bassi from start to finish.