LEWISTON — Elite Auto captured the championship in the major division at Elliot Ave. Little League with a thrilling 15-14 win over United Ambulance.

United got off to a quick start after three Elite errors led to five runs off Elite starter Jared Rubin. Elite came right back with its aggressive style of baseball, striking back for five runs in the bottom of the first.

Gage Cote led off with a bunt, stole second and third, and scored on a passed ball. Evan Cox and Brock Belanger had hits and scored as well as two more runs scoring on Ryan Handlon’s two-run double.

Rubin silenced United for the next two innings, while Elite scored four more runs in the second and two in the third to take an 11-5 lead.

Evan Cox replaced Rubin after Rubin reached his pitch limit. United plated one run in the fourth, only to have Elite come right back and score four more runs in the bottom half of the fourth. United scored two more runs in the fifth and the game went into the sixth with Elite leading 15-8.

United never gave up as they scratched away at the lead, helped along by three more errors in the inning. The game ended with Gabe Escobar being thrown out at third base with Elite winning 15-14.

Elite reached the championship game with a dramatic 4-3 win in 12 innings over a stubborn and gutsy Melanson Paving team.

Melanson started the game with a run in the first inning after a walk by Kyle Morin, a throwing error and an RBI single by Wyatt Miller.

Elite answered with two runs in the first after two straight singles and a two-run triple by Brock Belanger. Elite added a run in the second after a leadoff bunt by Jalen Allison, a stolen base and a clutch RBI single by Ryan Handlon. Melanson tied the score in the fourth inning with a dramatic two run home run by K.J. Edwards after a walk to Wyatt Miller.

The normal six-inning contest went scoreless from there until the 12th, as solid pitching by Belanger and Gage Cote was matched by Melanson’s combination of Edwards and Morin.

In the twelfth, Dean Clavet reached on an error by Marciano Webster. Webster then replaced Morin after he reached his pitch limit. Cote reached on a fielder’s choice. Evan Cox walked and then the game ended with a solid hit to right field by Belanger.

Edwards struck out 11 batters while Morin struck out 13 for Melanson. Belanger and Cote combined for 19 strikeouts for Elite.

Elite earned the No. 1 seed in the playoffs with eight straight wins: three over Skelton Tainter and Abbott, two over Melanson Paving, two over Anthoine Financial and one over United Ambulance.

Nine of the twelve Elite players were honored with all-star selections: Evan Cox, Owen Cox, Ben Gosselin, Trevor Trudelle and Brock Belanger for the 9-10 team; Jalen Allison, Logan Freve and Jared Rubin for the 11-year-old team; and Gage Cote for the 11-12  team.