Bristol — The summer of their lives got more eventful Saturday, even beyond the requisite excitement tethered to the beginning of the tournament that will decide whether East Lyme Little League makes the World Series.

East Lyme had to endure more than four hours of weather delays during a baseball game that began at 4 p.m. at the Giamatti Little League Center. East Lyme had a 4-2 lead in the middle of the third inning over Morristown, N.J., in the opening game of the Metro Regional when the first delay hit, only to eventually lose 8-4 more than six hours after the first pitch.

The game ended a little after 10 p.m.

Morristown, the New Jersey state champion, rallied for five runs in the bottom of the fifth, highlighted by a two-run single from Will Hery and a two-run homer from Tyler Sharperson, overcoming a 4-3 deficit.

The weather delays forced East Lyme to use four pitchers.

East Lyme will play the loser of the New York vs. Rhode Island game, not played Saturday because of weather issues, at 4 p.m. Monday. It is a double-elimination tournament until the championship round.

East Lyme, the visiting team wearing blue uniform tops to represent the Connecticut state champion, scored two runs in the top of the first to take a lead on Morristown, which ironically sported maroon and white — colors normally typical of East Lyme.

With one out, Alex Biscotto singled and Jonathan Menchaca walked, which led the way to consecutive singles from Blake Gianakos, Blake Morrison and Rocco Russo, resulting in the 2-0 lead.

But Morristown tied the game quickly. Will Vieira and Dean Conway singled to lead off the inning against Biscotto. Hery reached on an error that allowed a run to score before Morristown tied it on a wild pitch.

East Lyme scored single runs in the second and third. In the second, Owen Ament opened with a double to deep right and scored on two wild pitches. In the third, Brayden Santos doubled to deep left and later scored on a wild pitch.

Morristown, located in northern New Jersey about 30 miles from New York City, entered the game with five pitchers sporting 0.00 earned run averages in the postseason. Sharperson is the cousin of the late Mike Sharperson, a member of the Dodgers’ 1988 World Series champion.

m.dimauro@theday.com