Waterford — Prior to the District 10 Little League baseball tournament, Waterford manager Josh Sheppard told his team of 10-12-year-old players they would have to grind for victories.

And after Waterford lost to East Lyme earlier this week in the double-elimination tournament, sending East Lyme straight to the championship round and Waterford to the losers' bracket, Sheppard told the players they would have to grind even more.

"It was not easy," Sheppard said Friday night. "We asked them to dig deep. We told them, 'this is not going to be an easy road. We have to grind even harder than before. We're going to call on people to do multiple roles.'"

Waterford beat East Lyme 3-1 Friday night to take the District 10 title, one day after topping East Lyme 2-1 to force the championship round's second and deciding game.

Colby Sheehan broke a one-all tie in the fourth inning with a leadoff home run, a long fly ball over the right field fence, and Kian Gordy came on to pitch in relief for the second straight game, recording the final three outs to nail down the victory.

Waterford moves on to the Section 3 tournament beginning Tuesday at Waterford, facing the District 7 representative.

Sheehan, who led the entire district tournament with four home runs, homered off the first pitch of the fourth.

"Most of the time, the first pitch everybody throws it right down the plate. I wanted to jump on that first one," Sheehan said. "... It feels good. I had faith in the team (that we could beat East Lyme twice)."

Having split a pair of one-run games previously in the tournament, each team scored a run in the third in Friday's finale.

Waterford struck first when Gordy subbed into the leadoff spot and drew a two-out walk. He took second on a passed ball, setting up JT Sheppard, who drove in the run with a single to right field. Sheppard was out at second trying to take an extra base on the throw home, cut down on a perfect throw from East Lyme catcher Cooper Siragusa.

In the bottom of the third, East Lyme's Karch Kaczor doubled to the right-center field gap to lead off the inning. Max Montejano followed with a line shot single to center fielder Riley Montana, who held the runner at third base. Harrison Papuga walked to load the bases. With one out, JP Antonino flew out to center to score Kaczor and tie the game 1-1.

Sheehan provided the pop in the fourth for Waterford, homering for a 2-1 lead and Waterford scored an insurance run in the fifth on a leadoff double by Chase Nolda and an East Lyme error. Waterford loaded the bases in the inning, however, East Lyme reliever Matthew Resetar retired the side having allowed just the one run.

Dustin Powers pitched six-plus innings for Waterford, striking out five and allowing just three hits. He reached his 85-pitch limit in the sixth and Gordy took over with a runner on first, getting the side in order the rest of the way.

Sheppard had two hits for Waterford, including a bunt single in the fifth which loaded the bases.

Montejano had two hits for East Lyme and Caleb Trost pitched four-plus innings, allowing three hits.

"We practice six days a week," Josh Sheppard said, crediting the Waterford team. "The only time we take a day off is if it rains. They all show up. They come here and work their butts off. They've earned it."

In case the teams weren't familiar enough with each other on the baseball field, there's more.

East Lyme manager Pat Papuga coaches the Connecticut Warriors travel team during the summer with Sheppard, the Waterford manager, as his assistant coach. Sheppard also teaches physical education at East Lyme Middle School and has several East Lyme players as students.

"Josh is the best. I have all the respect in the world for him," Papuga said. "I've worked with three of his kids. He's worked with seven of my kids and made them better. It's good baseball. ... I'm sad that Little League is done. It's been a blast."

v.fulkerson@theday.com