The Nashua Cal Ripken 12U All-Stars celebrate their state championship earlier this month. (Courtesy photo)

It’s on to the New England Regionals for the Nashua Cal Ripken 12U All-Stars, who captured New Hampshire state championship with a 6-4 win over Dover late Wednesday night in Londonderry.

Dover, needing to win twice, beat Nashua 9-1 in Game 1, but Nashua prevailed in the winner-take all game of the double elimination tourney. The locals will now face Orleans, VT. Saturday at 11:15 a.m. Saturday at Freetown Central Park in the eight team tourney that includes six other teams. The finals are Thursday, July 20 at 5:30 p.m. at Central Park.

The Regionals have two pools. Nashua is in the “Pesky Pole” pool with Douglas (Mass.), Easton (Mass.) and Orleans. The four teams in the “Green Monster” pool are West Hartford (Conn.), Apponaug (R.I.), Andy Valley (Maine) and Free-Lake (Mass.).

Nashua plays Douglas at 11:15 a.m. Sunday, and then completes pool play at 11 a.m. Monday vs. Easton.

The 12U NH State Championship round came down to a re-match of last year’s 11U State Championship final and Wednesday’s games were delayed a bit by a torrential rain that flooded President’s Field in Londonderry during pre-game warm-ups.

In Game 1, after the first two innings, the score was tied 1-1, but reigning champion Dover showed their strength from the plate, scoring runs in every inning but the first.

Meanwhile, Dover pitcher Connor Lynch kept the Nashua bats quiet, leading Dover to the 9-1 victory, forcing the winner-take-all Game 2.

That championship contest was scoreless after three innings until Nashua exploded with a six run fourth inning that saw Nashua batters register five walks and three clutch singles by Gates Kelly, Nik Levine, and Aaron Ackerman.

Nashua pitcher Garrett Schmidt led the team into the final inning with a shutout before Dover showed its fight. A home run by Dover’s Ben Cheeks narrowed the lead to 6-2, before Nashua relief pitcher Justin Sanossian closed out the final two outs to complete the victory 6-4.

On to the Regionals.

(Adam Proto is the Nashua Cal Ripken Communications Director. Telegraph staff writer Tom King also contributed to this report.)