Sunday, July 19

Torrington 3, Tri-Town 2
If you’re ever going to give Tri-State Baseball and other local leagues a chance to replace the Twisters in your fan book, now is an excellent time to give your local team a shot. For Tri-State, not only will it be too late for some towns, once the upcoming playoffs start whittling down further on 12 qualifying teams out of the league’s 17, but now, in the intensity of qualifying and staying alive in the playoffs, Tri-State team’s great baseball, regardless of records, has every potential to become fantastic baseball in every game. Take the Torrington Rebels’ 3-2 nine-inning win over the Tri-Town Trojans Sunday night at Fuessenich Park. The Rebels, now 6-9, clung to the hope that wins Sunday night and Monday night at Fuessenich Park would almost certainly allow them to join the glut of other qualifiers in the middle of the league’s pack, including Sunday’s opponent, 9-7 Tri-Town. “We’re in, but we’re trying to get a better seed,” said Tri-Town Manager Ryan McDonald, setting Wamogo graduate Connor Murray, who’s become a better pitcher every summer with the Trojans, against Torrington’s veteran ace, Dan Livingston. Both pitchers came through. Tri-Town’s Murray (8 innings, 3 earned runs, 5 hits, 10 strikeouts, 3 walks) had one bad inning — the fourth — in which Torrington scored all three of its runs on three hits, a walk and a sac fly. That was enough for the Rebels. Torrington’s Livingston (9 innings, 2 earned runs, 8 hits, 4 strikeouts, 2 walks) started slow, giving up a first-inning run on a hit batter and two singles, then tiring in the top of the ninth while two Tri-Town doubles and a walk came within three feet of a tie in as exciting a game-ending relay play as you’ll see.
That, too, was enough. “Murray has a lot of pop; when he gets his curve in to follow it, he can go real deep,” said McDonald, who saw his starter no-hit the Rebels for the first three innings Sunday evening.
Back in the first, with two outs in the top of the inning, Dan Valentine was hit by a pitch, Dan McCarty and Wayne Brewington (2-for-4, RBI) hit back-to-back singles for a 1-0 Trojan lead. Livingston gave up just three more scattered hits over the next seven innings, through the eighth. Murray spun through the third with a ground-out and two strikeouts at the top of Torrington’s order. But next inning, Rebel Darrin Gould led off with a walk to win a full-count battle; John Noack and Curtis Anthony (2-for-3, RBI) got just enough bat on Murray pitches to dink back-to-back singles over the Trojan first baseman for one run. “They were playing in on us,” said player/coach Anthony. Then Jerry Colon got all of a fastball for an RBI double and the lead. “It was a little bit up; I was just hoping for a sac fly, but, when it went by (Tri-Town centerfielder Valentine, in the gap), I said, ‘Okay, I’ll take it,’” grinned Colon. Jay Lovato followed with the sac fly, 3-1 before Torrington’s inning ended on a nice Tri-Town play to get Colon at second on Lovato’s out, plus a third-out K. “We need runs,” said Tri-Town Coach Andrew Osolin in the bottom of the sixth, after Livingston got the last two batters in Tri-Town’s order on strikes for the inning’s second and third outs. All Osolin got was one runner in the eighth, on a hit batter, then two quick outs in the top of the ninth, still trailing 3-1. While Trojan hope seemed to fade with every Livingston pitch, Kyle Osolin, a smallish extra hitter who bats seventh in the Trojan order, zipped a one-strike double into the left centerfield gap. Joe Bunnel walked. With runners on first and second, two outs, Jon Smart hit a rope to deep left field. Andy Dooley, pinch running for Osolin made it home with ease. Joe Bunnel rounded third and headed home as Torrington left fielder Jeremy Lovato unleashed his throw to cut-off man Matt Marola at shortstop. “I was just looking for a good strike,” said Lovato. Marola, knowing his relay to the plate required all the zip he could give it, laughed, “I was thinking my arm was going to hurt tomorrow.” Marola’s serious side noted Bunnel “slowing a little at third.” Marola’s throw had a good chance. Catcher John Noack, at home, said, “I just tried to reach for the ball and make the tag.” It all came through together — the ball to Noack from Marola, about three feet before Bunnel’s slide to the plate and Noack’s tag. Out! Game over!. You shoulda’ been there.
J.C. Hooks/Waterbury 8, Amenia 6
Bobby Wilcher had 2 singles, a double, 3 runs scored and 2 RBI to lead J.C. Hooks/Waterbury Wild (5-10) to an 8-6 come from behind victory over Amenia N.Y. Monarchs in Tri-State action at Waterville Park.  Chris Perrin added 2 singles and a triple with 2 runs scored and 2 RBI.  Fraz Kader chipped in with 2 hits and a run scored. Chris Matteo had two hits and scorded 3 runs for the Monarchs (8-6).  Tom Downey added 2 hits and a run scorded and 1 RBI. Kyle Kerski went 6 1/3 allowing 6 runs scattering 7 hits.  Bobby Wilcher pitched the final 2/3 for the save.  Bob Chatfield started and went 5 innings allowing 5 runs while taking the loss.
Burlington 14, Bethlehem 6
The Hunters trailed 5-1 after three innings before exploding for 10 runs over the fourth, fifth and sixth innings for the win at Gallup Field in Bethlehem.  Burlington improved to 10-6 while the Plowboys fell to 12-3.  Jared Holtman and Steven Popp both homered to pace the Hunters’ offense.  Holtman smacked a two-run shot while Popp’s three-run home run gave Burlington a lead for good.  Popp tallied three hits, three runs scored and six RBI for the game while Holtman was 3-for-4 with three RBI.  Also contributing for the Hunters were Adam Peters (4-for-6, 3 runs scored), and Jay McIntyre (4-for-6, 2 doubles, 2 RBIs).  Starting pitcher John Mittica went the distance for Burlington, striking out 7.  John Conlon paced Bethlehem with three hits, while Dave Green, Rob Geraci and Eric O’Toole added two hits each.
Winsted 14, Litchfield 3
Donny Crossman threw a complete game, striking out 18 and scattering 7 hits.  TJ Monka lead Winsted going 3-4 with 3 RBI’s and 3 runs scored.  Chester Warner (Winsted) went 3-5 with a double and an RBI.  Kyle Robinson lead Litchfield going 3-4 with a double.
Amenia 3, Terryville 1
The Monarchs bounced back from the loss to Waterbury and got a victory from Jim Pomeisl and RBIs from Joel Judson and Chris Matteo for the win at Terryville High School.  Judson and Matteo paced Amenia with two hits each.  The Monarchs improved to 9-6.  Ken Martinek took the complete-game loss for the Black Sox, who fell to 5-11.
Thomaston 12, Wolcott 3
The Spoilers rallied for seven runs in the fifth inning for the victory at Thomaston High School.  The seven-run inning broke a 3-3 tie.  Gary Swierczynski led Thomaston with three hits, including a double, and two RBI.  Bob Hay added two hits and two RBI while Andy Ramano chipped in with two hits, including a double.  Ryan Andrade and Jay Miller had one hit each for Wolcott.  Ramon Santiago notched the win for Thomaston, which improved to 6-10.
Tribury 18, Mazda Dodge 8
Tribury overcame six errors by pounding out 19 hits in a 18-8 win over Mazda Dodge.   The Pavers were led by 3-hit, 3 RBI days from Craig Prasauckas, Andrew Jones, and Jamie Kimberly.  Prasauckas tripled, Jones doubled, and Kimberly tripled in leading the Tribury offense.  Kimberly also pitched 3 innings of solid relief to pick up the win.  The lead changed hands several times during the middle innings, but Tribury took control for good with three runs in the bottom of the 6th inning to go ahead 9-7.  Three more runs in the 7th and six in the 8th completed the scoring.  Brett Wigder, Jordan Kershaw, and Bobby Bengivengo added two hits apiece for Tribury.  Mazda Dodge was led by Will Sirotnak’s three hits, run, and RBI, and Tim Collins’s two hits and RBI.
Bristol 8, Farmingbury 2
Matt DiVinere allowed just one hit over seven shutout innings of work, striking out five and leading the Greeners to their 12th victory of the season.  Shawn Mirmina, Doug Beaudoin, Dan Rosa, and Ryan Dudzinski each had big days at the plate collecting three hits a piece. Dave Anticucci had two hits for the Longshots.
Brass City 7, Naugatuck 3
The Brass City Brew won their second straight Regular Season Tri-State League Title beating the Naugatuck Dogs 7-4 in a late game at Rotary Field Sunday Night.  Mike Padovani tied the game in the top of the 4th with a rbi single.  Brass City followed in the 5th with 3 more runs on a Steve Carosella 2 run single and a Justin McCulloch fielder’s choice rbi.  Marc DiDominzio drove in an insurance run in the 6th as well as pitching 6 strong allowing 3 runs 2 earned and striking out 5.  Mike Morin scored on an error in the 9th to make the final 7-4. Trent Levi got the Dogs on the board with a rbi single in the bottom of the 2nd followed by a rbi fielder’s choice by George Harlamon.