Participating Teams:
District 1 Champions District 2 Champions District 3 Champions District 4 Champions	Cranston Western Pawtucket Darlington American Wickford Lincoln

Tournament Results:

Opening Round:
Cranston Western 8, Lincoln 0
Pawtucket Darlington American 5, Wickford 2

Loser's Bracket Semifinals:
Lincoln 2, Wickford 1 (elim.)

Winner's Bracket Finals:
Pawtucket Darlington American 10, Cranston Western 3

Loser's Bracket Finals:
Lincoln 12, Cranston Western 4 (elim.)

Championship Series:
Lincoln 15, Pawtucket Darlington American 6 (7 innings)
Lincoln 3, Pawtucket Darlington American 2 (7 innings; TITLE)

Summary:

A dropped fly ball with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning of the state championship game gave new life to the Lincoln LL all-star team, and the District 4 champions capitalized on the opportunity by rallying to defeat Darlington American twice and win the first state title in the league's 44-year history.

Lincoln, which lost in the opening round to Cranston Western before winning four consecutive state tournament games, trailed undefeated Darlington American 6-5 in the top of the sixth when pitcher Andrew Spino lifted a two-out, two-strike fly ball to center field. The Darlington fielder mishandled the pop-up, and Eric Pickering scored from second to force extra innings. The next inning, Lincoln exploded for nine runs to overwhelm Darlington 15-6 and force a deciding game. Luke Abraham's three-run homer, Pickering's two-run single, and three Pawtucket errors fueled the seventh inning Lincoln explosion.

Lincoln's win forced a second meeting between the two clubs, and Lincoln again needed extra innings before edging Darlington American 3-2 in the championship game.

Lincoln took an early 2-0 lead in the tourney's final game. Jay Allegretti singled in the third, and came around to score following two wild pitches and a passed ball. Later in the inning, Abraham doubled off the right field fence to score Evan Smith and extend the lead to 2-0.

Pickering took the mound in the title game, and shut down a Darlington offense that had clubbed nine home runs in three state tournament games. He allowed only Justin Cherniawski's solo homer and Matt Lewis' RBI sacrifice fly in the fourth inning, while striking out nine and limiting Darlington to three hits over five innings.

After Darlington tied the score in the fourth, both teams supressed scoring opportunities in the sixth. In the top half of the inning, Pickering hit a two-out single. Lincoln's Alex Albert then drove a laser into the left-center field gap that appeared headed for extra bases -- until Darlington center fielder Billy Munzert made a spectacular diving catch to end the inning and potentially save a run. In the bottom of the inning, relief pitcher Spino wiggled out of a two on, one out jam by registering a strikeout and inducing an inning-ending grounder to force extra innings.

Lincoln rallied for the winning run in the seventh. Allegretti punched a lead-off single, and moved around to third on Rob Sharkey's sacrifice and a wild pitch. Spino then flared a 1-2 pitch down the right field line to send Allegretti home with the lead run. In the bottom of the frame, Spino, who relieved Pickering in the sixth, allowed a one-out single by Munzert before closing out the win.

As the tournament opened, it looked like business as usual by Rhode Island standards. Cranston Western, which had won three consecutive state titles (including the U.S. championship in 1996), defeated Lincoln 8-0 in the tournament's inaugural game. Lincoln's loss added to the five games the Blackstone Valley club had dropped to Cranston Western in state tournament play since 1996, including a pair of ten inning losses and a 1-0 defeat in the 1998 state championship game.

In the first 1999 meeting, Cranston snapped a scoreless tie with six runs in the top of the fifth inning en route to the 8-0 win. Nick Delgallo opened the rally by singling and then coming around to score when Lincoln committed two errors on the play. Cranston then loaded the bases before Paul Carbone drew a walk and pinch-hitter Matt Cullen launched a grand slam home run to put the game out of reach. Winning pitcher Nick Myrtle allowed only two Lincoln hits in the game.

Darlington American overpowered Wickford in the other opening round game. Six-footer Kyle Lister served up Chris O'Connors' homer and an unearned run in the top of the first inning before settling down to fire a two-hitter. Lister retired 15 batters in a row at one point, and was supported by home runs from Darlington teammates Corey Martin, Lewis, and Munzert.

Following their opening round loss, Lincoln rallied for a pair of victories. Lincoln edged Wickford 2-1 despite managing just one hit, and then broke out the big bats in a 15-hit, 12-4 romp that finally exorcised the club's Cranston Western demons (Lincoln actually held an "exorcism" ceremony at a team practice prior to the Cranston rematch, in the hopes of reversing the team's dismal offensive fortunes). Lincoln clinched the win with a seven-run rally in the top of the sixth inning that broke open a 5-4 game. Consecutive hits by Abraham, Danny Rhault, Zack Zammarelli, Albert, and Allegretti fueled the rally. The win marked the first time in four state tournaments that Lincoln had defeated Cranston Western.

Following its title round sweep of Pawtucket Darlington American, Lincoln continued its winning streak at the Eastern Region tournament in Bristol, CT. Lincoln rolled to a 5-0 record in the Northeast Pool before dispatching Somersworth (NH) in the quarterfinal round of elimination play. Lincoln then fell 4-2 to Middleboro (MA) in the semifinals, before Toms River East American (NJ) eventually earned its second consecutive Eastern Region title.