ADAMS, Mass. – Ryder Froio hit two home runs, and Shayne Clairmont struck out 10 hitters in four innings Thursday to lead the Pittsfield Little League 12-year-old All-Stars to victory in the Don Gleason District 1 Championship Game.

 

Froio was 2-for-3 with five RBIs, and Clairmont helped his cause by going 3-for-3 in an 18-5 win over Adams-Cheshire that sends Pittsfield back to next week’s Section 1 tournament, one step away from the state’s Final Four.

 

Froio hit his first round-tripper to drive in Troy Maloy in a four-run first-inning for Pittsfield, the top seed after the tournament’s pool play last week.

 

Then in the fourth, Froio hit a towering shot to right-center and chased home Will Nichols and Maloy to make it 18-1.

 

“Ryder, man, he didn’t hit a home run the whole tournament and bangs out two today – awesome,” Pittsfield coach Matt Mazzeo said.

 

Clarirmont, meanwhile, was in command most of the night.

 

After Colton Braman singled and Oliver Quinto doubled him home to make it 4-1 in the bottom of the first, Claremont gave up a walk but struck out the next two hitters to end the inning.

 

He then sat down six straight through the second and third innings to allow his offense to build up a 17-run lead going to the bottom of the fourth.

 

It was the first complete-game – albeit ended via the run rule – of the tournament by a Pittsfield pitcher.

 

“They weren’t hitting,” Mazzeo said. “They weren’t hitting off him. So, if they were hitting, we were going to put in Andrew [Scalise] or Ryder [Froio]. But they weren’t hitting off Shayne, so we just kept going with it.

 

“He threw 75 pitches in four innings. Very good.”

 

Clairmont’s one-out single got Pittsfield’s first-inning rally going. Will Nichols followed with a triple to right-center to drive in the game’s first run. He came home on Maloy’s single down the third-base line before Froio made it 4-0.

 

Pittsfield tacked on five runs in the second, when Edaniel Hebert and Mateo Herrera each doubled and Adam Tanner hit a two-run single.

 

Adams pitcher Lador Lawson (five strikeouts) sat down Pittsfield’s batters in order in the third to give his team some life.

 

But Pittsfield put the game out of reach with a nine-run fourth.

 

Ayden Mazzeo singled and Hebert (2-for-2) hit his second double to start the inning, and Pittsfield collected six more hits – capped by Froio’s three-run homer, before Adams-Cheshire reliever Lukas Benson was able to get out of the inning with a pop up back to the mound.

 

In the bottom of the fourth, a walk and an error to start the inning were followed by Braman’s second hit in two at-bats. Maddox Milesi hit a two-run single, and Nate Mallett drove in a run as A-C fought to the end.

 

“We weren’t gonna give up,” Adams-Cheshire coach Steve Albareda said. “I know that they came out and punched us right in the mouth. That’s no secret. But these kids – we were going to fight and try to play a full game.”

 

A-C, which has a couple more tournaments to play this summer, also can look forward to a strong future in the 12-year-old age group. The experience of making it to the district final will pay dividends down the road. Albareda hopes.

 

“It’s extremely huge,” he said. “Going forward, this year, they have confidence. This team is filled with maybe seven 11-year-olds. And you have to get to this game. You’ve got to go 2-1 in pool play, and then you have to try to beat Pittsfield. That’s the whole district.

 

“I feel fantastic about where we stand. All seven that are coming back are huge parts. They started tonight. And then I’ve got two 10-year-olds, maybe three 10-year-olds who practice with us, play with us. They’re going to be a very important part of this team next year. I’m excited.”

 

Pittsfield, meanwhile, begins the double-elimination Section 1 tournament next week at the home of the District 4 champion.

 

Photos from this game here.