Home Sweet Home! Bristol LL All-Stars earn a state title and historic play in their own city
- Rick Menning
- Jul 12
- 6 min read
By Rick Menning
WATERFORD, CT -- Ever since Little League Softball players first started to share the regional spotlight with their baseball brethren on the diamond at the A. Bartlett Giamatti Little League Leadership Training Center in Bristol, 12-Under Division state champions have come from all over Connecticut.
While those squads have enjoyed a home field advantage of sorts during the prestigious New England tournament along the road to the Little League Softball World Series, never have a group of girls prepared to take center stage literally in their own backyard.
That is, until now!
In an historic accomplishment for the District 5 and Section 1 title holders, the Bristol Little League Softball All-Stars need to travel only a short distance from their regular-season home field at Rockwell Park to reach Breen Field and the bright lights of the last stop before Greenville, North Carolina.
Winning showcase attractions is nothing new to these Bristol diamond dynamos. From the age of eight, the nucleus of Connecticut's 2026 champions built a tradition of excellence on their field of dreams.
All the dedication and hard work in practice over the years has paid off with huge rewards.
A triple threat in state play
Last year, in the 11-under age group, Bristol captured not only the state crown but also regional accolades. And in the 10s division, seven members of the current roster brought home a state title.
So it came as absolutely no surprise when this year's team rolled through district and sectional challenges enroute to the state finals at the Waterford Little League South complex.
After defeating Madison and East Lyme-Salem in the preliminary rounds of this year's Final Four showcase, the girls in the blue and orange jerseys faced Fairfield in the championship round.
From the moment they arrived at Rotary Field on Saturday morning for the biggest game of their young lives, the Bristol sluggers had the look of a squad on a mission. They did not need the 'if necessary' game as the result of a 12-2 victory to clinch the title.
The state conquest capped what Manager Adam Whitlock called a "phenomenal run" through the first three mile-markers on the journey toward the World Series which will take place from Aug. 2-9 inside Stallings Stadium at Elm Street Park.
"We played in a great district and then a really tough sectional, and then we come here (to Waterford) and face the same type of competition," Whitlock said. "Now we will be playing against some amazing teams from other states."
Togetherness a major theme
Scores and statistics aside, what makes the Bristol Little League Softball All-Stars a very special group is the way they care about one another and are there for one another on and off the field.
"If a teammate is in a school play, the rest of the team shows up in support. If there's someone who's selected for the all-city band, the others show up in support. That's the camaraderie on this team," Whitlock said. "These kids truly care about one another in and outside of softball."
Even in direct competition against one another, there are always smiles in the high-five line.
"This team is completely unselfish," Whitlock said. "They are buddies in school; they are buddies when their middle school teams play against one another. Their interactions are so sincere."
Laser focus on a fast impact
When starting pitcher Lucy Bastiaanse stepped up to the plate in the leadoff spot in the first inning of Saturday's Connecticut finale against Fairfield, she wasted no time making a statement for her team.
She saw the pitch she wanted and rocketed a liner into the gap for a triple that set the stage for a four-run start to the decisive contest.
"My mindset in that moment was to look for the right pitch and get on base," said Lucy B., one of two Lucys on the team. "I knew it could help set us up for a big inning."
While it wasn't the biggest half-inning of scoring in the game, it was a momentum boost for the Bristol warriors who added a six-run fourth inning to achieve the convincing win.
Lucy B. also unleashed a two-run single during that fourth inning leading to the mercy-rule outcome and a berth in regionals.
"We are all so happy and excited," she said. "We've been waiting for this moment since we were like eight years old. We've been playing with each other for so long that we've built this connection."
Shock and awe on huge blast
Hitting your first-ever home run is always incredibly memorable, but when you do it in the state championship game it can be mind boggling.
Those emotions followed Lucy Kalat around the bases as she held both hands to her head twice -- once between first and second base, and again between second and third base -- in a show of amazement at what had just happened.
"I just saw it go over the fence, and I was so surprised and so excited," she said. "I think I've hit one in practice but never in a game. All I remember was that it was a fast ball and actually it was a little high (in the zone) but I just gave it my best swing."
That swing resulted in a two-run monster rip into the woods beyond right-center field. The smash also scored Lucy B., who had tripled to start that Bristol outburst.
Perhaps what made her home run extra special was the reception she received from her teammates as she touched home plate.
"That meant a lot because we're all so close and almost like a family, "Lucy K. said. "We always hang out outside of softball and always do things together."
Ready for the ESPN spotlight
Like all her teammates, Lucy K. anxiously awaits the pomp and circumstance of the New England Region tournament and the extravaganza that comes with being a part of it all.
"We've always dreamed of this for our whole lives of softball. It's going to be so exciting being in the dorms with the other teams, and being on TV is going to be so amazing."
Ava Lefurgey, who bats clean-up and reached base all three times in her at-bats on Saturday, echoed Lucy K.'s sentiments.
"There are some nerves but at the same time it's so exciting to be home in Bristol and playing in (regionals) where we live and do so much stuff together like hanging out at each other's houses and going swimming," Ava said. "Our teamwork and our friendships mean so much."
Repping their city in their city
Alex Patterson, who connected for a pair of singles -- one of which brought home two runs in that climactic fourth inning -- loves the thought of being in front of the television cameras and doing Bristol proud next Sunday afternoon and beyond.
"It really means a lot to us and everyone in Bristol," she said. "I feel so happy and excited to represent our city as a team. We have such a great bond; we worked so hard and now we are going to regionals."
The memories of all the upcoming media interviews and soon-to-be-made friendships with players on the other state championship teams throughout New England is something that Ellie Tiscia and her teammates can't wait to become reality.
Ellie put the finishing touches to Bristol's initial uprising on offense with a two-run single that scored Ava Lefurgey (walk) and Makinnley Whitlock (single) in the first inning.
"It's going to be so special to be the first ones from Bristol to be (on Breen Field), and it's something we'll all remember forever," Ellie said. "It's going to be so exciting, and we can't wait for Sunday."
A very star-studded Sunday!
In their opening game on Sunday, July 19, the Bristol girls take on the winner of Saturday's contest between Maine and Massachusetts. First pitch is at 4 p.m. and will be televised on ESPN+.
A capacity, standing-room-only crowd is expected, and fans are encouraged to arrive early as attendance at this historic game could be record-setting.
A win in that contest would earn the Connecticut champions advancement to a second-round prime-time ESPN showdown on Tuesday., July 21.
The New England Region field of states also includes Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Vermont.
The entire New England schedule can be seen here: 2026 LLS New England Region Tournament - Little League
Little League Major Division Softball
State of Connecticut champions!
2026 Bristol Major Division Softball All-Stars (in alphabetical order): Lucy Bastiaanse, Avery Collins, Dakota Green, Lucy Kalat, Keeva Knowles, Ava Lefurgey, Alex Patterson, Juliana Pavlak, Faith Marie Soto, Mary Thompson, Ellie Tiscia and Makinnley Whitlock. The manager is Adam Whitlock, and the coaches are Mike Bastiaanse and Kevin Kalat.
Comments