Thursday June 14
Waterbury Wild 7 Winsted Whalers 0
Tri-State Baseball’s Waterbury Wild did a little of everything good to make a 7-0 win over the Winsted Whalers all the more convincing Thursday evening at Winsted’s Walker Field.
In the Wild’s third win in a row after starting the season 0-3, Sacred Heart junior Kody Kerski got his first start of the summer after closing several other games. The Crosby High School graduate gave up just two hits in six innings, along with 5 strikeouts and 4 walks. “I haven’t given up any Tri-State runs yet,” grinned Kerski, who pitched a five-hitter in Sacred Heart’s Northeast Conference Conference (NEC) Championship game last month to help the Pioneers take the league title.
At the same time, Wild batters threaded together a walk and two hits for a two-run lead in the second inning, then feasted on three Winsted errors in the fourth and fifth innings to help post another three runs. By the time Winsted reliever Tyler Dew took over from his brother, starter Mike Dew, Wild bats were literally in full swing. Fraz Kadar led off the sixth inning with a monster home run into the trees beyond center field. Then a hit batter and three straight hits led to Waterbury’s final score. “We’re deep in pitching,” said Waterbury coach Larry DeVito, who guided his team to the Northeast Regionals last summer. “In our last three games, we’ve started hitting.”
“They were missing people early (returning from college) and we’re missing people,” said Winsted coach D.J. Reese, “but the record is who you are. We’re close to .500 (4-3) because we haven’t learned to communicate with each other. Physical errors are one thing, but today, we made too many mental errors.”
The first inning betrayed none of what was to come. Kerski recorded his first strikeout, but Winsted’s Mike Dew matched him with one-two-three efficiency, thanks to three straight Waterbury balls to flawless Whaler third baseman Colby Rueger. The second inning, too, matched the first three batters on each side — two outs and a walk. Then the paths separated. In the bottom of the inning, Kerski struck out the final batter. In the top, Waterbury’s Bill Finlay and Julian Cruz (2-for-2, 2 RBI) followed Jack Dibiase’s walk with singles and the two-run lead.
The third inning featured the first Winsted hit, a chop halfway up the third base line by Tyler Dew and a double play by the Wild. Center fielder Shane Kingsly made a nice catch on a line drive, then doubled a Winsted runner off second base. In the fourth, a throwing error turned a would-be Winsted double play into an unearned run instead after John Digiovani (2-for-4, RBI, run scored) and Dibiase (2 runs scored) singled. In the bottom of the inning, after Waterbury’s only error, a Kerski pick-off throw to first ended Whaler chances.
Jordan Montgomery (3-for-3, run scored), Kingsly and Digiovanni rapped out hits for two more runs in the fifth inning, assisted by two more Whaler errors. Kadar homered in the sixth. Dibiase was hit with a pitch; then hits by Cruz and Nick Boucher drove him in. Waterbury catcher Dibiase picked a Winsted runner off first base in the bottom of the inning. From here, Waterbury tries to keep its virtues.
Winsted coaches and players worked on some of theirs after the game, taking extra time to give pointers to Wolcott Tech lefthander Jeff Negron, who closed out the seventh inning for the Whalers. Winsted, like Waterbury, is going to be fine.
Bethlehem Plowboys 9 Watertown Blaze 0
Jesse Darcy tossed four no-hit innings as the Plowboys blanked the Blaze at Gallup Field. Tony Geraci doubled twice and knocked in a run for Bethlehem, while Mike Johnson homered, singled and drove in two. Tom Parkinson had the lone hit for Watertown, a single. Both teams play Sunday, as Bethlehem (6-1) visits Winsted at 11 a.m. and Watertown hosts Litchfield at 5 p.m.
Terryville Black Sox 5 Brass City Brew 0
Billy Armstrong fanned four and walked three in a four-hit shutout Thursday night at Waterville Park. Kevin Larose hit a three-run home run in the second inning for the Black Sox, while Tommy Notchick had a single and an RBI. Eric Rovanetti and Mike Padovani had doubles for the Brew. Both teams are back to action Sunday, as Brass City hosts Burlington at 10 a.m. and Terryville hosts Ansonia at 11 a.m.
Amenia Monarchs 7 Tri-Town Trojans 6 (8 innings)
Josh Wolinski tripled and singled as the Monarchs took down the Trojans in extras at Community Field. Tom Downey and Nick Baker each had a pair of hits for Amenia. Steve Price went 3-for-3 with a double and four RBIs for Tri-Town, while Dan Stairio added two hits. Amenia (4-3) visits Bristol Sunday at 1 p.m., while Tri-Town (3-3) hosts Waterbury at 11 a.m.
Naugatuck Dogs 10 Burlington Hunters 0
Burlington broke up a no-hitter with a harmless single after 6 2/3 innings by a combined effort from Naugy’s Macky Cianciolo and Brian Dowling. Cianciola had two singles and two RBI for Naugy (6-1). Kenny Graveline went 3-for-4 with a double and two RBI. Jeff Sturm and Jeff Russell each had two hits. Dillon Desidendo broke up the no-hitter with two outs in the seventh inning for Burlington (3-3).
Litchfield Cowboys 6 Thomaston Spoilers 2
Kevin Murray picked up the win for the Cowboys and improved to 1-1 on the season in his third start of the year. Murray pitched six strong innings and only allowed two runs on three hits and four walks while striking out six. Joe Serafin came in for the seventh and only needed to throw ten pitches in order to secure the win for the Cowboys. He had one strikeout. The Cowboys will be in action again this weekend, with an exhibition game in Danbury at 3 p.m. on Saturday representing the Tri-State League in the 1st annual CT Classic Showdown and a game against Ansonia on Sunday at 11 a.m. at Litchfield High School.
Bristol Greeners 4 Torrington Rebels 1
The Greeners defeated Torrington 4-1 in the first game of their doubleheader on Thursday night behind a strong pitching performance by emergency starter Bryan Wyrebek, who had pitched only out of relief so far this season for Bristol. Wyrebek went the distance for the Greeners, surrendering just 2 hits and striking out eight. Bristol was led offensively by Dave Casanova (1-3, SB, RBI), Tim Georgen (2-2, SB), and Steve Julius (2-2, RBI). Torrington’s Matt Kelser (5 IP, 3 ER) and Ian Pierce (1 IP, 0 ER) pitched well for the Rebels. The Rebels had hits off the bats of Angelo Cababrese (1-3, RBI) and Nate Katz.
Bristol Greeners 2 Ansonia Valley Vikings 0
The Greeners defeated Ansonia in their second game on Thursday night 2-0 in a pitcher’s duel between Ansonia’s Benuia and Bristol’s Justin Tacinelli. Tacinelli picked up his third victory of the season for the Greeners improving to 3-0 after pitching seven dominate innings, surrendering just one hit and striking out ten. Bristol’s offense was led by Marco Ross who went 2-2 with a double and collected the only two runs that would cross the plate in the ballgame. Matt Godbout and Brendan Hayes also had hits for the Greeners.
Wolcott Scrappers 10 Lakeville Outlaws 1
Zach Sehnal pitched six innings, giving up three hits with 10 strikeouts to improve to 3-0. He has allowed only five hits and one earned run in 23 innings this season while striking out 27. Ryan Soucy singled, doubled, and drove in two runs and scored twice for Wolcott (3-3). Mike Vaccarelli went 3-for-3 with three RBI and two runs scored.