Little League World Series: Braintree takes on South Carolina in opening game

BRAINTREE, Mass. — The boys of summer from Braintree begin their summerlong quest to capture a Little League World Series championship in Williamsport on Thursday afternoon.

Braintree American Little League, representing New England, opens its World Series campaign against Irmo, South Carolina, at 3 p.m. The game can be seen on ESPN.

The big game marks a significant moment for the young athletes and their families, who have been in Pennsylvania since Friday.

“Born and raised in Braintree, played baseball as early as the 80s, myself. I’ve been awesome to see the tradition of Braintree baseball, super important to a lot of the kids,” said a local parent.

The trip to Pennsylvania has involved considerable expenses for the families, including travel, accommodation, meals, and time off work.

To support the team, Southside Tees, a local business, has been working hard to produce T-shirts for fans, donating about $15 per shirt to the team.

Owner Sean Conory mentioned that this week has been the busiest in his 20 years of business, with several hundred shirts sold to supporters, including those in Chicago and Florida.

“It’s all hands on deck today we are running around like maniacs but its good,” Conory said. “I know a lot of the parents I know the kids and I like to see what’s going on in Braintree right now. It’s crazy.”

Braintree’s team has been a formidable force this summer, remaining undefeated through regional tournament play.

The Wamps earned the right to represent New England in the prestigious tournament after a walk-off win over New Hampshire last week.

The team’s run to Williamsport is the longest in program history, and support has been off the charts, with fans packing local bars and restaurants to cheer the squad on.

A pair of watch parties are planned for fans who want to gather and cheer on the Wamps in Thursday afternoon’s game.

Braintree will host two official watch parties for the game, one at the Elder Affairs Office on Cleveland Avenue and another at the Braintree Municipal Golf Course on Jefferson Street, both starting at 3 p.m.

The Little League World Series features 38 games over 11 days. There are a total of 20 teams participating in the tournament, including 10 from the United States and 10 from around the world.

This means Braintree will need to win three rounds to advance to the United States Champions game. If they emerge victorious in that round, they’ll square off against an international team for all the marbles in the Little League World Series final.

Want to support the Wamps’ postseason run? You can order a shirt online or pick one up in person.

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