Windham was inexperienced and undersized entering the 11- and 12-year-old Little League state championship series against Portsmouth. After one game, Windham was also in the lead.

“I think based on the fact that Portsmouth is a perennial powerhouse against a team that hasn’t been there before, we were the underdogs coming in,” said Windham manager Dan Moynihan.

The locals stunned Portsmouth in the first contest with a 3-2 victory on Saturday, July 24, behind solid pitching by Connor Moynihan, who hurled 4 2/3 innings, struck out eight and scattered three hits. Windham’s cushion didn’t last. Portsmouth knotted the series with a 7-2 victory on Sunday, July 25, at Laconia’s Colby Field.

On Wednesday, July 28, the teams were slated to conclude state competition with the most critical game of the summer. The winner of the final game moves on to the East Regional in Bristol, Conn., to play for a spot in the Little League World Series.

In game one, Chad Desautels launched a solo home run in the second inning to provide his team with a 1-0 lead. Will Bresnahan extended the lead in the fifth inning with an RBI single, and Moynihan put his team ahead 3-1 with a sacrifice in the final inning.

Portsmouth threatened throughout the game, but couldn’t quite push past the locals. The District 2 representatives loaded the bases in the first, fifth and sixth innings. In the fifth, Dougie DeLuca escaped the jam, and Will Bresnahan relieved him in the sixth with one on and one out.

The Windham closer eventually walked in a run before he recorded an out, but went on to strike out Portsmouth’s cleanup hitter to seal the win. In game two, Portsmouth scored five times in the second inning to take a 5-0 edge. Starting pitcher Brian Hagan shut down Windham’s bats and also launched a three-run home run during the five-run rally.

Windham looked to get back in the game during the top of the fifth when Chris Murphy reached on an error with one out. The next batter, Chad Thompson, nearly hit one out of the park but settled for a one-out single. Though two runs later scored on errant throws, Windham’s rally ended when a third runner was caught rounding third base and thrown out. Portsmouth manager Mike Young credited Windham’s game one starter as the difference- maker.

“(Moynihan) was the best pitcher we have seen all year,” said Young. “We started to hit better towards the end of the game, which gave us a little more confidence going into the second game.”

Moynihan is the only pitcher unavailable for Windham during the decisive game, while Portsmouth is without its top two starters. The Windham mentor said he believes that could give his team a decisive edge.

“We need to really believe that we are no longer underdogs,” said Moynihan. “We have to come in thinking that we are the better team, and we need to play with confidence.”