In winning the New Hampshire Little League 11- and 12-year-old state championship on Monday, July 21, Lamprey River allowed no hits, no runs and no errors, beating two-time defending champ Auburn, 10-0.

The new champs head to Albany, N.Y., for the Eastern Regional tournament, and, according to Auburn’s manager, Ray Pelton, they’ll need to improve on that fine effort if they plan to beat some of the best teams in the country.

“The pitching is dominant. Just unbelievable,” said Pelton, after watching a dominant performance by Lamprey River’s Sarah Lavallee, who fanned five and was backed by a flawless defense.

Ken McLaughlin, River’s manager, agreed with Pelton, knowing his group must wield some mighty bats when pool play begins on Saturday, July 26. “We need to be more patient (at the plate), and we need to hit those gaps (with some extra-base hits),” said McLaughlin. “But these girls are playing so well right now.”

Indeed, the state champs won three straight contests by a combined score of 39-6.

Lavallee and Kim McLaughlin, who steps inside the circle for the regional opener against Connecticut in Albany, shared pitching duties throughout the state tourney run.

And when the River was at bat, it was odd to see the bases empty.

Autumn Masse and Amelya VanDeWalle, who earned a game ball for her triple and two RBI against Auburn in the final, consistently reached base and ran wild. Lavallee and cleanup hitter Gabby Desjardins, both Candia residents, each drove in a run.

The bottom half of the lineup and River’s reserves were also productive. Hannah Keefe, Brandie Valentine, Meredith Reed and Audra Jenkins – the team’s No. 6 through 9 hitters in the championship matchup – all scored a run, as did Makayla Philibert and Kayla Thomas off the bench. Candia’s Sydney Bolduc, a starter in the team’s mercyrule win against Pelham a week earlier, also reached base.

They’ll need to continue to battle because the competition improves – according to Pelton – exponentially at regionals. “It’s a different level of play there,” he said. “A lot of smallball. If you score three runs in a game, you’re doing well.”

Regional lineup
After the tourney opener, Lamprey River faces Maine on Sunday, July 27; Rhode Island on Monday, July 28; and Massachusetts on Wednedsay, July 30, to complete pool play.