Essex Town Little League battled back from losing at the start of the 2025 Vermont Little League state playoffs to become the eventual state champions. After a 2-0 loss in their first game of bracket play against Brattleboro Little League, Essex worked their way back up from the loser’s bracket to win 4-0 against them. “Everything was elimination, a do-or-die game for us,” said Essex Little League player David Bent. “I think the whole team wanted to keep the season going,””Those losses just made us better,” said Essex Little League player Kayl Leshchishan. “Got us to work harder and get to where we are now.”Both teams were held scoreless after the first two innings, but Essex had an offensive spark in the bottom of the third inning. Grayson Morgan would start the rally with an RBI single to give Essex the 1-0 lead. Finn Exloff would keep the line moving with an RBI single of his own, extending the Essex lead to 2-0. Leshchishan would add a 2-RBI single after tha,t scoring the third and final runs of the game. “We just needed to believe and keep our bats going,” Leshchishan said. “Lock in and just get some runs.”With the 4-0 cushion, Bent was given plenty of confidence to finish the game on the mound. He pitched a complete game shutout and sealed the deal on an Essex Little League state title. The win came with a bit of redemption after Essex lost to Brattleboro in the 2024 Little League Finals. “It’s a great moment,” Bent said. “We worked super hard for it, and we’ve been working our whole lives. Our team deserves every moment of it.”Essex will now represent Vermont in the New England Little League Baseball Regional tournament. They will start their journey to the Little League World Series against New Hampshire’s Little League state champions on Saturday, Aug. 2, at 10 a.m.
Essex Town Little League battled back from losing at the start of the 2025 Vermont Little League state playoffs to become the eventual state champions.
After a 2-0 loss in their first game of bracket play against Brattleboro Little League, Essex worked their way back up from the loser’s bracket to win 4-0 against them.
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“Everything was elimination, a do-or-die game for us,” said Essex Little League player David Bent. “I think the whole team wanted to keep the season going,”
“Those losses just made us better,” said Essex Little League player Kayl Leshchishan. “Got us to work harder and get to where we are now.”
Both teams were held scoreless after the first two innings, but Essex had an offensive spark in the bottom of the third inning.
Grayson Morgan would start the rally with an RBI single to give Essex the 1-0 lead. Finn Exloff would keep the line moving with an RBI single of his own, extending the Essex lead to 2-0. Leshchishan would add a 2-RBI single after tha,t scoring the third and final runs of the game.
“We just needed to believe and keep our bats going,” Leshchishan said. “Lock in and just get some runs.”
With the 4-0 cushion, Bent was given plenty of confidence to finish the game on the mound. He pitched a complete game shutout and sealed the deal on an Essex Little League state title. The win came with a bit of redemption after Essex lost to Brattleboro in the 2024 Little League Finals.
“It’s a great moment,” Bent said. “We worked super hard for it, and we’ve been working our whole lives. Our team deserves every moment of it.”
Essex will now represent Vermont in the New England Little League Baseball Regional tournament. They will start their journey to the Little League World Series against New Hampshire’s Little League state champions on Saturday, Aug. 2, at 10 a.m.
