Waterford — The first game of the best-of-three championship series brought a slower pace, the closest matchup Waterford had faced to that point in the District 10 Little League softball tournament.

By the time Sunday's game got underway, Game 2, Waterford wasn't taking any chances.

The first two batters scored quickly, with leadoff hitter Amy Pinch singling and going from first to third on a bunt by Maddie Burrows. An error on the throw to third to try to get Pinch allowed one run to score and Burrows, who was safe at first, was standing on third.

Burrows scored on a sacrifice fly by Anna Donahue to make it 2-0 three batters in.

The final: Waterford 12, Pawcatuck 1, giving Waterford the district title.

“We mercied three of the four games in pool play and we mercied the team in the semifinals,” Waterford manager Pam Pinch said. “(Saturday's game, a 2-0 victory) was good. It was a good test. The kids were a little bit frustrated … but we played a great defense today and we put some more balls in the outfield.”

Waterford's Angela Colonis pitched for the third straight day, striking out seven and walking none, allowing five hits for the victory. Waterford, which led 3-1, broke the game open with four runs in the fifth inning and five in the sixth, batting around in the sixth.

Waterford will next take part in the Connecticut Section 3 tournament at Coginchaug Little League in Durham. Waterford opens the tournament at 7 p.m. Thursday against the District 7 champion.

Bella Williams connected for a two-run single to highlight the fifth, Milly Walker added an RBI single and Lily Marelli a run-scoring double down the right-field line.

Waterford then had five straight batters reach to begin the sixth, including an RBI double by Burrows and run-scoring singles by Donahue and Colonis.

Pinch said that this team's strength is its balance and depth, something that will serve it well moving forward, as Burrows and Walker are also strong pitching threats.

“My motto from day one has been 'team,'” Pinch said. “It's not going to be nine of you, it's going to be 13 of you. I'm not sure if they believed me right away. These girls are pretty much all even. I try to flip-flop the lineup every other game. They all have to bat once (per game), but they all play. We've been going half and half. A lot of teams, when they sub, there's a big drop-off.”

Burrows, who ended the game with a 6-3 double play from her spot at shortstop, had three hits for Waterford.

Maddie Stepski and Maggie Constantine had two hits each for Pawcatuck. Constantine had an RBI triple in the third which pulled the team within 3-1.

“(Waterford) came out aggressive,” Pawcatuck manager Everett O'Connor said. “Things happened quick.

“But it was 3-1 into the (fifth). We're up here swinging. We're not there to watch the balls go by. This is a great group of girls. Everybody had a blast. We got to work on stuff we didn't get to work on during the (regular season).”

v.fulkerson@theday.com