Longview, Wash. - Waterford manager Dave Laffey's summation was right on point.

"It was the kind of game you'd expect to see in the World Series," Laffey said after the New England champions began play in the Babe Ruth Baseball 15-year-old World Series on Thursday afternoon with a 5-2 loss to Broomall-Newtown (Pa.). "Unfortunately, we didn't get the key hits."

Waterford did manage seven hits, but stranded 10 runners and squandered a number of scoring opportunities in falling to 0-1 in the National Division pool.

Waterford is off today before playing co-host Keslo (Wash.) on Saturday at Dave Story Field at 8 p.m.

"If we play like this again, we will do just fine," Laffey said. "We can compete with any team here, so it's up to the kids to play or quit ... and I guarantee you they won't quit."

Broomall-Newtown took an early 1-0 lead in the second inning, loading the bases on singles by Corey Woodcock, Vince Sposato and Kevin Downs before Waterford starting pitcher Jake Gannon walked Chris Annas to send Woodcock home with the game's first run.

Gannon, however, worked out of further trouble by striking out Bob Steven and getting Mike Davis to ground out to third to end the inning.

Waterford absorbed the early shot and bounced right back in the top of the third to tie the game. With one out, Steve Gerovitz one-hopped a drive off the right-center field fence for double (Waterford's first hit) and advanced to third on Cole Crawford's single.

One-out later leadoff hitter Mike Rocchetti jumped on Scott Hahn's first pitch and lined a single to center to score Gerovitz with the tying run.

Gannon settled down, working quickly and effectively, and was rewarded when Waterford took a 2-1 lead with a run in the top of the fifth.

Tyler Yeomans began the inning with walk, Crawford singled for the second time and Rocchetti lined his second run-scoring hit of the game to center.

The lead disappeared in the bottom of the fifth, however, as Broomall-Newtown scored three times to take the lead for good, the key hit a two-run double to right-center by Woodcock scoring Hahn and Tony Gallo (both singled) that gave the Pennsylvania champs a 3-2 lead.

Bromall-Newtown scored another run in the fifth, and added an insurance run an inning later to make a winner of Hahn, who allowed just five hits while striking out five over six innings before Cameron Mathes pitched the seventh inning to earn the save.

Hahn allowed five hits and fanned five before being relieved in the seventh by Cameron Mathes.

"(Broomall-Newtown) had the clutch hits and we didn't," Waterford assistant coach Kyle Jones said. "Their pitcher (Hahn) kept us off balance."