BY RYAN O'CONNOR

Prior to his team’s game against Windham in the District 1 9- and 10-year-old Little League all-star tournament winners bracket final, Goffstown manager Bob Gurskis knew his team was in for a battle.

It turns out he had no idea.

“We noticed right away, before the game, how organized and strong they are,” said Gurskis. “Their practice definitely showed, as far as their fielding and hitting is concerned.”

Though Windham relinquished a 16-9, fourth inning lead and lost, 22-17, Gurskis maintained his respect for this foe.

“I just know in my heart we’re going to see Windham again,” he said. “What a great coaching staff and a great bunch of players. I can’t say enough about that team.”

“It’s Little League baseball, and the thing about Goffstown is that they don’t give up, and they showed it today,” said Windham’s manager, Jim Bail. “It was just a dogfight. I mean, what else can I say about that type of output by both sides?”

Goffstown put up five runs in the top of the first inning, only to have Windham come back in the bottom of the inning with an offensive show of its own.

Kellin Bail, Christian Thompson, Mike Goglia and David Carbonello led with walks, plating one run.

After a strikeout, Kurtis Jolicoeur walked, and Goglia stole home. Josh Gallagher then knocked Carbonello in, and Pat Higgins and Bail each added RBI doubles to give Windham a 7-5 lead.

Though Goffstown plated four runs the next two innings, Windham answered with a six-run third.

After Kevin Anderson led off with a walk, Tommy Raposo and Bail singled to load the bases, bringing up Thompson, who drew four balls to push a run in. Carbonello, Tim Hillman and Jolicoeur all walked, and when the Goffstown pitcher couldn’t handle a return throw from the catcher, Carbonello came in to score Windham’s 12th run.

Two more walks, drawn by Gallagher and Anderson, brought in another run to give the locals a four-run lead.

Windham put three additional runs on the board in the fourth inning on a Bail single, a Ben Vitolo sacrifice bunt, an error on the first baseman, which allowed Goglia to reach third base and Bail to score, and RBI knocks by Carbonello on a double and Hillman on a single.

Windham added a run in the fifth inning, but Goffstown came back with a five-run fifth and a seven-run sixth to win.

“A game like this is hard on the ticker, and I expect to see (Goffstown) again next week,” said Bail of his team’s chances to reach the tournament championship on Saturday, July 14, and, Windham hopes, a winner-take-all contest on Sunday, July 15. “I’d like to think that, given a second chance, we can make things go our way.”