Braintree claimed its first Section 2 title in six years. Next stop: Beverly for the Massachusetts Little League state championship.
BRAINTREE -- Frank Fasoli didn't stutter when talking about his Braintree American 12U Little League star Coleman Gouthro after the team's Section 2 championship game against Bridgewater on Saturday.
"I think he's the best Little League player I've ever seen," Fasoli said. "Hands down."
The right-handed pitcher propelled Braintree to a 3-1 victory over Bridgewater to capture its first Section 2 title since 2019 at the 12U level. Gouthro went the distance, pitching 6 innings with 4 hits and 1 earned run to send him and his teammates to the Little League state championship in Beverly next week.
The 2025 Massachusetts Little League State tournament will take place from July 24-27 at Harry Ball Field in Beverly. Game scheduling is to be determined.
Gouthro also showed off his power yet again in the win, launching a first-inning solo home run to put Braintree up 1-0. He blasted four home runs through the four sectional tournament games.
"It got us pumped up," Gouthro said of his first inning homer. "(I) was super happy."
Fasoli said the power has always been there for Gouthro as he has always been one of the tallest and biggest players at each level. But this season, he's reached another tier.
Gouthro is the back-to-back Braintree American Little League home run derby champion. He won last year's derby with 3 home runs. This year, he exploded for 25.
His other outstanding feat came in the Braintree American Little League championship game. Gouthro threw a perfect game to lift his team to a championship.
After Saturday afternoon's win over Bridgewater, Gouthro's mother, Kristen Nagle, wrapped her arms around him in the outfield, telling him how proud she was of everything he's accomplished so far.
"He's just on fire. This has been the greatest season that he's had," Nagle said.
"To have another home run in a championship game. ... I was waiting for another one to be honest with you," she joked. "He just makes it look so easy."
Gouthro's home run held as the lone run of the game until the bottom of the fifth inning when Braintree added two insurance runs to go up 3-0 entering the top of the sixth. Bridgewater's Aiden Moran drove in a run on an RBI single, but Gouthro quickly thwarted the rally to seal the win.
Gouthro has always wanted the ball in his hands, and has always wanted to be a leader. Both were reasons why he wanted to become a pitcher.
"There's a lot of action, and you lead the team," Gouthro said.
Since he was old enough to be signed up for T-ball, Nagle said Gouthro will do anything it takes to make sure he never misses a game.
"Every time that he's sick he wants to play. Nothing will stop him from playing," Nagle said. "He loves the game. I'm so proud of him.
The win takes Braintree to a perfect 10-0 record this summer. Fasoli wants to keep that going. Coming in, the goal was to win Section 2 after the team fell just short in the 11-year-old age group Section 2 finals last season.
With that accomplished, it's now a "why not us?" mentality for the team heading into states.
"We're coming for states. That's what we want," Fasoli said. "They're ready. They want it. (We're) ready for Beverly.
The winner of the state tournament advances to New England Regionals in Bristol, CT. The New England champions then advances to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, PA.
This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Braintree Little League defeats Bridgewater in Section 2 final
Category: General Sports
