As almost all their games have gone, Berlin also ended up victorious.

Fanol Prevalla’s two-run homer sparked a three-run second inning that proved to be the difference as Berlin escaped Volunteer Field in Newington with a 5-3 victory over Killingly in Game 1 of the Little League State championship series on Friday night.

"We had them and we let them back in, but that’s OK," Berlin coach Chris Pick said. "It’s a hot day and we started off well."

Berlin’s start led to a 5-0 lead, thanks to the formula that has worked so well for Berlin in its tournament run. The All-Stars mixed a little luck, some good baserunning and a little power to build the lead.

The first two batters were retired in the top of the first, but Berlin was just getting started. Eric Pick doubled to left and Zach Parsons drew a walk. With the runners on second and third, Taylor Anderson walked, and ball four got away. When the play was over, two runs had scored, and Berlin had a comfortable margin on just one hit.

That lead grew to 5-0 in the second inning. Doug Campbell reached on a fielder’s choice, giving Berlin a runner on first with one out. Prevalla then launched his first home run as a 12-year-old over the wall in right-center, stretching Berlin’s lead to 4-0. Dylan Lombard followed with a perfect bunt for a base hit, and Zach Parsons delivered a two-out double to left that made it 5-0.

"That’s what’s been working for us all year, we use our speed and get timely hits," Pick said. "We got one from another player, Fanol Prevalla, who added to our home run club."

For three innings the lead seemed secure, but Killingly scratched for three runs in the bottom of the fourth. Sean Brackett reached on an infield single, Randy Waterman followed with a walk, and Drew Wilcox drove in a run with a loft to right. An error scored a second run on the play, and a bunt by Nick Oteni cut Berlin’s lead to 5-3.

Steve Glowiak, Berlin’s pitcher, shut the door from there, giving up just a single by Waterman to start the bottom of the sixth. With the tying run coming to the plate, Glowiak responded in dramatic and emphatic fashion, striking out the side to end the game.

"That’s what he’s been doing," Pick said. "(Berlin’s pitchers) get big outs. That’s what it’s all about. (Parsons) did a phenomenal job behind the plate. He blocks everything back there. He kept us in the game blocking everything."

When Glowiak was on, which he was early and then, more importantly, late in the game, there wasn’t much for Parsons to do except catch strikes.

"I picked it back up," Glowiak said of his fifth and sixth inning performance. "You have to get yourself back up and get yourself going again."

Killingly pitcher Connor Rochefort made a similar comeback. Berlin’s Jimmy Marzi and Sean Roche recorded back-to-back singles to start the third and make it seem as though Berlin was going to break the game open even wider. Rochefort answered by retiring the next three batters, then threw three perfect innings to close out the game.

Berlin may have lost a bit of intensity after building the lead, but that shouldn’t be the case tonight with the team one game from moving on. If anything, Berlin must concern itself with avoiding being overly excited.

"It’s going to be really tough (to remain calm)," Prevalla said. We just have to think of it as another game."

In theory, it will be just another game. In reality, Berlin will enter tonight 18 outs from a state title and a trip to the New England Regional. Whether it gets there or not, there should be more nail-biting ahead.

Matt Straub can be reached via email at mstraub@newbritainherald.com