Windham’s 11- and 12- year-olds kept turning the page, but eventually the book had to close.

Unfortunately for the local all-stars, the book shut just shy of a championship, as Windham fell to Bedford in consecutive games during the District 1 Little League baseball finals on Saturday and Sunday, July 18 and 19.

Needing one victory to earn a match-up with District 2 victor Portsmouth, Windham jumped to an 8-3 in its first game against Bedford.

Mike Goglia launched a three-run home run to give his team a 3-0 advantage in the top of the second before Bedford climbed back to tie the game at 3-3.

In the top of the fourth, Windham struck for three more runs when Connor Moynihan led off with a single, Christian Thompson reached on an error and Brendan Mullen drove them both in with a single.

Josh Gallagher followed suit with a single, then Kellin Bail pushed home another Windham run with a single to stretch the lead to 6-3. In the fifth inning, Moynihan delivered again, smashing a two-run home run for the 8-3 edge.

But in the bottom of the fifth Bedford scored five times to knot the score at 8-8, and after Windham went quietly in the visiting half of the sixth, Kyle Andersson sent the Bedford players into a frenzy when he blasted a ball over the fence, moving his team to the decisive second game.

Andersson proved a persistent problem for Windham with his effort on Sunday, this time from the pitcher’s mound; he pitched 5 2/3 innings before being pulled due to his pitch count.

Ryan Lang relieved and induced a groundout to end the game and Windham’s season following the 6-2 final.

After breezing through the winners’ bracket final against Salem National thanks to a perfect game from Tim Hillman, Windham waited a week before playing again, something manager Jim Bail said proved a disadvantage.

“I think in retrospect it hurt us. Bedford was sharp. They had been playing for their lives all week while we were practicing, just not at the same intensity,” said Bail, who feared a letdown following his team’s Saturday defeat.

“We were looking for it, and we talked about that. We wanted to look forward and start a new page. That was a theme throughout the playoffs. The kids showed up fresh, but we just ran into a good pitcher on a very good day for them.”

In addition to his sparkling pitching performances throughout the bracket, Hillman also hit .429 during the team’s seven tournament contests. Ben Vitolo was another key hitter in the Windham lineup, batting .455.

Members of the team included Gallagher, Bail, Hillman, Moynihan, Thompson, Goglia, Vitolo, Mullen, Porter Carelli, who hit two home runs this summer, Kurtis Jolicoeur and Nick Worden.

“There were some players I wish could have gotten a bit more playing time, but I think it was a great experience for everyone,” said Jim Bail. “I think they got to reap the benefits of working hard to earn something. I’m glad for all the kids to see where that can get validated. That’s a great lesson for a 12-year-old.”