Thursday, June 25

Thomaston 5, Burlington 4
Burlington entered the bottom of the seventh with a 4-2 lead and ace pitcher Jimmy Spirito on to close the game. Everything seemed sewn up. Thomaston did not get the memo. The Spoilers, playing as the home team in the makeup game because their home field was not available, rallied for three runs in the seventh to take a 5-4 win. The rally was capped by Matt Gasperini’s line-drive single to center with the bases loaded. The hit brought home Shawn McGee with the tying run. When the ball got past center fielder Justin Campbell, Bob Hay sprinted home from second with the winning run. Gasperini was thrilled to be able to pick up brother Anthony Gasperini (7 innings, 4 runs, 7 hits, 4 strikeouts, 5 walks), who kept his team in it in a complete-game effort on the mound. “I definitely wanted to get it done for my brother,” Matt Gasperini said. “He pitched a hell of a game.” The game did not start well for Thomaston. With the bases loaded and two outs in the top of the first, Burlington’s Rob Paul lifted a fly ball to right field. Spoilers right fielder Mike McHugh dropped the ball, allowing all three runs to plate for a 3-0 Hunter lead. A two-out double by Pat Flynn in the third scored Steve Dubois to make it 4-0. Thomaston answered with two runs of its own in the bottom of the inning. Mike McHugh led off with a single. After a strikeout, Rob McHugh doubled to make it second and third. Gary Sweirzcynski followed with a two-run single to cut the Burlington lead to 4-2. Spirito replaced John Mittica (6 innings pitched, 2 runs, 6 hits, 3 strikeouts, 1 walk, 3 hit batters) on the mound in the seventh. Pat McGee led off for Thomaston with a walk on a 3-1 count. Pinch hitter Shawn McGee followed with a four-pitch walk. A Bob Hay single plated Pat McGee to make the score 4-3. Spirito struck out Rob McHugh looking, but Sweirzcynski walked on a 3-2 count to load the bases for Matt Gasperini. Gasperini ripped the first pitch he saw up the middle to drive in the tying and winning runs.
Wolcott 2, Torrington 1
With pitchers and defenses in control of much of a Tri-State League baseball game at Fuessenich Park Thursday evening, Wolcott’s 2-1 win over Torrington was a story of split-second opportunities realized, and agonizing opportunities squandered. In other words, it was another high-level game of wooden-bat baseball. Wolcott left-hander Sal Messina (6 innings, 1 earned run, 2 hits, 11 strikeouts, 6 walks) had no-hit stuff until Torrington’s Steve Richard lined the first Rebel single into right field in the third inning. Meanwhile, Torrington complete-game pitcher Curtis Anthony (7 innings, 2 earned runs, 8 hits, 5 strikeouts, 3 walks) flirted with trouble as early as the first, but mostly worked his way back out. In the second, a near double play by Torrington (4-8) just missed at first base, extending the Scrappers’ inning by one more out. Zach Sehnal (2-for-3) grabbed the opportunity, drilling an RBI double into the left field corner to put Wolcott (4-5) on the scoreboard, 1-0. Next inning, Scrapper player/coach Ryan Soucy led off with a home run that ultimately won the game. Despite Richard’s hit in the third inning, Messina was still busy frustrating most of the Rebels. “My catcher (Jay Miller) did a really good job setting them up,” said Messina, who pitched for Mitchell College and clocked his fastball at 88-92 miles per hour for scouts for the Mets and Reds who’ve shown recent interest. By the end of the third inning, he had four K’s against a team of mostly seasoned hitters. He started with another strikeout in the fourth, then lost Anthony to a walk on a full count. Anthony stole second; then Jerry Colon seized the moment to ground an RBI single up the middle, 2-1. From there, pitching and defense froze the game, sometimes mid-breath for the fans. Wolcott closer Justin Koutrous came on in the seventh to end any hopes for the Rebels. “He blew it right past us,” said Anthony. “And, if he made his pitch, we weren’t going to hit it hard.” Koutrous, who went to the Division II College World Series three times with Eastern Connecticut State University, struck out all three of the Torrington batters he faced in the bottom of the seventh, two of them looking, each of them on a 1-2 count. “He’s faster than me,” said Messina. “He has to be a consistent 89.”
Litchfield 2, Mazda Dodge 1
Back-to-back doubles from Colin Pratt and Kyle Weaver lifted the Litchfield Cowboys to a 2-1 Tri-State League win over Mazda Dodge Red Devils at Thomaston High School. The Red Devils outhit the Cowboys 7-6, but Litchfield’s came at more crucial points. Ben Murphy notched the victory to improve to 1-1. He allowed all seven Red Devil hits while striking out five and walking three. Chris beach pitched the final frame for the Cowboys to pick up the save. DJ Dyer was the hard luck loser going the distance for for Mazda Dodge.
Terryville 12, Tri-Town 1
The Black Sox outhit the Trojans 12-1 at Community Field in Litchfield as Tyler Wenz went the distance for Terryville, striking out 11 while improving to 1-1. Matt Gardner paced the Black Sox offense with two doubles and four RBIs. Also producing offensively for Terryville were Steve Tedd, who had two hits and two RBIs, and Jim Mischke, who was 2-for-3 with an RBI.
Winsted 12, Farmingbury 3
Charlie Putnam’s three-run homer in the sixth gave the Whalers breathing room in a win over the Longshots at Walker Field in Winsted. Putnam went 3-for-4 with five RBI while Jeoff Langill had a double, run batted in, and two runs scored. Donny Crossman got the win on the mound, going five innings. Crossman gave up one run on four hits and struck out six.
Brass City 6, Tribury 1 – Game Photos (courtesy of SPMsportspage.com )
Mike Butkovic tripled and drove in three runs while Justin McCulloch homered and knocked in a pair in a Brew victory over the Pavers at Fulton Park in Waterbury. McCulloch and Butkovic also scored one run apiece while Sam Sirica singled and drove in a run for Brass City (8-2). Sean Keegan improved to 4-0, giving up one hit while striking out five in three innings. Relievers Gary Novakowski, Eric Gormley and Mike Padovani combined to allow just one run on four hits in the final four innings. Don Maki took the loss for TriBury (5-4). Bobby Bengivengo had two hits, a run batted in, and drew a walk while Brett Widger singled, scored a run, and drew a walk for the Pavers.
Bethlehem 7, Naugatuck 4
The Plowboys built a 7-1 lead after four innings, then held on for the win over the Dogs at Gallup Field in Bethlehem. Aaron Granahan had two hits, including a double, and drove in two runs for Bethlehem (9-1). Matt Parlato also drove in two runs for the Plowboys. Sam Iverson picked up the complete-game win on the mound to improve to 4-0 . Naugatuck (5-5) got a double and two RBIs from Devin Murphy. Dave Tenn took the loss for the Dogs.