Before it ultimately finished off the title, Warwick PAL missed its chance at a sweep of the Connie Mack state championship series in a frustrating 3-2 loss to Scituate on Saturday at Manning Field.

Mike Broccoli went the distance on the mound and allowed only three hits, but a few crucial miscues paved the way for Scituate to score three unearned runs. Warwick’s sixth-inning comeback bid fell short as Mike Vivieros finished off the complete-game win.

“We were battling but we made a couple of big mistakes and they really hurt us,” said manager Pete Palermo. “These two teams are evenly-matched, so momentum is huge and we let them get it.”

Even after a 3-1 victory in the series opener on Friday, Warwick knew it was facing a formidable foe. The teams played twice in the regular season and both games also ended in 3-1 scores.

Saturday, Warwick just ended up on the wrong end of a close game.

Scituate scored its first run in the third, when Josh Greene reached on an error and came around on a single, a stolen base and a hit batsman. Warwick should have been out of the inning before the run scored when Jim Gianquitti was caught off second base on a line-out to center, but Brandon Paiva couldn’t come up with the throw to second.

Broccoli left the bases loaded to keep it a 1-0 game but couldn’t escape more trouble in the fourth. A walk to David Mejia and an error at shortstop put two men on. Nick Pietrantozzi smacked a base hit into center to score one, and the ball was mis-played, allowing another runner to score.

“Mike threw a great game,” Palermo said. “He’s been a solid pitcher all year long for us. We felt confident with him on the mound and he did his job. Couple of more plays and it could have been a different game.”

Warwick did make a push but ended up just short. Justin Kennedy walked and Devon Gamba was hit by a pitch to start the sixth. A bunt single by Paiva loaded the bases with nobody out.

Warwick got one run home on a groundball that led to a force-out at second. Bryant Palermo knocked the second run in with a base hit.

After Vivieros settled in for a strikeout of Chris Duchesneau, Evan Broccoli walked to load the bases with two outs. Stephen Denis then smacked a 3-1 pitch into shallow left field, but Derek Faria made a diving catch to end the inning and keep his team in front.

“We almost got it back there but the left-fielder made a great catch,” Palermo said. “If he doesn’t make that catch two runs score and we’ve got the lead.”

Broccoli pitched a scoreless bottom of the sixth to keep it 3-2, but Vivieros righted the ship after his rough inning to finish off the game with a perfect seventh.

“We respect these guys,” Palermo said. “They’re a great team. We have to play our best to beat them.”

Warwick went on to win game three 6-5 to capture the championship.