The Gray-New Gloucester/Raymond Little League team had allowed only nine runs in a 12-0 run that landed the Maine state and New England champs in the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
But the youngsters from Maine ran up against a juggernaut Northeast Seattle team in the series opener, and the Northwest Regional champs triumphed 10-0 in a game that was called after the fourth inning under the mercy rule.
Trey Kirchoff allowed only one hit, an Alex Hanlon single, and the Washington state champs capitalized on four Maine errors in the first three innings.
Rylan Jackson staked Northeast Seattle to a 2-0 lead with a two-run single in the second, and the winners added six more runs in the third to sew up the victory.
Gray-New Gloucester/Raymond is just the fourth team from Maine to reach the Little League World Series and the first since the 2005 Westbrook team. They will now face Mid-Atlantic Regional champ Media, Pennsylvania, in an elimination game on Saturday at 2 p.m.
Northeast Seattle will play the winner of Friday’s game between Metro Regional champ Smithfield, Rhode Island, and Southeast Regional titlist Nolensville, Tennessee, on Monday at 3 p.m.
Previously, Northeast Seattle had outscored its eight opponents in the Washington state tournament and Northwest Regional 85-4.
The Little League World Series is composed of 10 regional tournament champions from the United States and 10 international teams.
It is a double-elimination affair, but every team is guaranteed three games.
The two survivors in the U.S. group square off in a championship game and the winner goes on to play for the title against the international team that emerges from their bracket.