Shelton — Never have so many been so excited for another drive to Shelton.

Gallons of gas? Traffic congestion? Snarling drivers? Indiscriminate delays? It all hurts so good for the traveling party of East Lyme Little League, whose boys made the state 10-12 championship game Saturday at the Nike Recreation Site, compelling one more 130-mile round trip for likely the biggest game of their lives.

“We love it,” East Lyme coach Lorenzo Biscotto said following a 9-1 win over Stamford National, setting up Sunday morning’s winner-take-all final between the two teams at 11 a.m. “The drive isn’t not so bad on Saturday and Sunday mornings anyway. (Friday) it took almost two hours. But we're excited about still playing.”

Indeed, and they’re still playing because they won their second knockout game in as many days. Alex Biscotto (5.2 innings) and Ben Lubeski combined on a no-hitter, helped along by a six-run fourth inning.

“Alex knew there was a task — to get us to the final — and he did it,” Biscotto said. “He was up for it. He knew it was a big, big task on three days’ rest, but he went in there and did what we needed, just like Blake Gianakos did (Friday) to save us from getting eliminated. So it was an awesome performance.”

Biscotto struck out eight and walked four, reaching the mandated pitch limit of 85 two outs into the sixth.

The six-run rally in the fourth began when Jonathan Menchaca walked and was headed to third on Gianakos’ single to right. The throw from the outfield hit Stamford second baseman Dylan Riveles in the back of the head (he stayed in the game), the carom after which allowed Menchaca to score. Later in the inning, Rocco Russo doubled to the gap in right-center, followed by the second of Alexander Mitchell’s two hits — a two-run single. Lubeski finished the rally by scoring on a wild pitch after he singled and stole second.

East Lyme scored two more in the fifth. Brayden Santos walked and later scored with Gianakos on Blake Morrison’s two-run single.

Every East Lyme hitter either reached base or advanced a runner. Brady Donovan was on base twice (hit, walk) and Owen Ament walked to keep a run-producing inning alive in the sixth. Elliot Regan’s fly ball to right and Kashton Kaczor’s ground ball to second in the fourth inning each advanced runners who eventually scored.

“We're really proud,” Biscotto said. “We know we're playing a very, very, very strong Stamford team and we are hoping that we can bring our best team tomorrow. I think they feel good. They have a lot of confidence. We work. We work really hard. They work every day. They're very focused.”

And now what was three straight must-wins has dwindled to one.

“It was going to have to be three in a row for us to get it done, because we lost on Wednesday night,” Biscotto said. “And we knew on Wednesday night that this thing was not over. As long as you're breathing and have a shot, that's all we ask for. And we were able to get one on Friday, and we were able to get one today, and now it's even and we'll see what happens (Sunday).”

The winner of Sunday’s game advances to the Metro Regional tournament to be played in Bristol Aug. 3-9.

m.dimauro@theday.com