The Cranston East Little League Junior All-Stars toppled Cumberland 15-0 in the state championship last week in Smithfield to punch their ticket to regionals.

East wasted little time jumping ahead as it put up 11 runs in the first inning. Although Cumberland’s pitching and defense would settle down from there on, CELL would score four more runs to end the game in a mercy rule in the fifth inning.

CELL had seven different batters knock in runs, including Damien Wholey who finished the day 2-for-2 with three RBI. Elan Santana would also knock in a pair of runs, as well as Adryan Urena.

Chris Barboza got the win on the mound, pitching three innings and allowing no hits while striking out four batters. CELL’s three pitchers combined to allow just one hit and one walk in the victory.

“We had played these guys before and won 15-3. We knew them going into the game, we had our ace pitching in Chris Barboza. The guys knew what the game plan was and they weren’t scared, they knew what they had to do. We wanted to get them out of there early and they did that, they jumped on them,” said CELL manager Nestor Santana.

CELL finished the summer unbeaten and virtually untested as it rolled through both the district and state championship tournaments. The competition level will certainly rise in the next leg of the race as it will be taking on teams from all along the east coast.

“Our goal is to go down there and compete the whole time. We know that there are some very good teams in this competition. I think if we continue to hit, then we will be fine,” Nestor Santana said.

CELL’s players are as confident as ever as they get set to make the trip to regionals, and that belief will be key as well according to Nestor Santana.

“These guys are baseball players, they like to get dirty and get after it. It is just a really good group of guys,” said Nestor. “Their confidence has never been shaken and they believe in themselves, they believe in each other. It’s going to be interesting.”

The CELL state champion junior team included: Adryan Urena, Allen Espinal, Angel Luna, Angelo Silvestri, Anthony Pimentel, Chris Barboza, Damien Wholey, Eddy McClung, Elan Santana, Jamir Liranzo, Jayden Perez, Mac Ash, Neldwy Cruz and Santiago Gavalo. Coaches were: manager Nestor Santana, coaches Amauris Espinal, Chris Ash and Chris Barboza.