World Series Three-Game Attendance: 900 Fans; 4-Peat?
Bethlehem vs Tri-Town: Two legendary teams with a following.
900 Fans attended the festivities during the weekend Series.
Not bad for a Summer Amateur Baseball league!
Quote of the Day:
“I’m just having a lot of fun being out there playing and not taking it too seriously,” Mike Fabiaschi said. “I am enjoying the game like a little kid again.”
Tri-Town Veterans already thinking about 4-Peat
Copyright Kevin Roberts Republican-American August 16, 2023
KEVIN ROBERTS REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN Tri-Town veteran Mike Fabiaschi was a perfect 4-for-4 in his team’s 9-0 Tri-State World Series-clinching victory over Bethlehem on Sunday in Waterbury.
Danny McCarty has been with the Tri-Town Trojans since their inaugural Connecticut Tri-State Baseball League season in 2005.
In 2017, McCarty took over for Ryan McDonald as player/manager. The goal for McCarty was a simple one.
“When I took over in 2017, my goal was to just win championships, and that’s what they’re doing,” McCarty said after the Trojans claimed another championship Sunday at Municipal Stadium in Waterbury.
Tri-Town defeated the Bethlehem Plowboys, 9-0, in Game 3 of the Tri-State World Series. With the win, the Trojans wrapped up their second straight championship victory over the Plowboys, and their third in a row overall. McCarty spoke afterward about how hard it is to win three championships in a row. Tri-Town is the first Tri-State team to do so since the Torrington Rebels won four straight crowns from 1992-95.
“Everybody played a role, and that’s the team that I put together,” McCarty said.
McCarty led from the bench and the third base coach’s box after a hamstring injury in the second game of a first round series sweep of the CT Gamecocks sidelined him. McCarty would have loved to be on the field. It was his 10th inning single, after all, that scored the go-ahead run and helped deliver the second straight championship last year at the same site.
McCarty was asked if he wants to come back next season. He turns 36 in October, and he and his wife Amber welcomed a son last year. Others are right around McCarty’s age.
Casey McDonald, a member of the Trojans since 2006, is 35. Mike Fabiaschi, who began playing with the team in 2008, turns 35 this week. Ace right-hander Miles Scribner, who won the first game of this year’s series, is 35 and has been pitching for Tri-Town since 2010. Veteran left-handed pitcher Bobby Chatfield is 33.
The lure of another championship is strong though.
“If these guys want to come back and do it again, I’ll be right there with them,” McCarty said. “Hopefully, at 36, I’ll be healthier, but yeah, why not? Three’s enough, back-to-back is even a feat, but this one is just sweet because it’s hard to (get it) done.”
Tri-Town has picked up plenty of young talent over time. That young talent could be seen in the Game 3 lineup: Austin Swanson; Coleby Bunnell; Joey Grantmeyer; Tommy Troy; Matt Troy; and Connor Gannon. And that’s not all of them. The Trojans have the potential to be champions again, and to do so in 2024 would join them with the Torrington Rebels in Tri-State history.
Tri-Town: Not Just A Great Day; Another Great Day
Copyright Rick Wilson Litchfield County Sports August 15,2023
WATERBURY –The Tri-Town Trojans won their third straight Tri-State League baseball title Sunday, closing out Bethlehem, 9-0, at Municipal Stadium in the deciding game of a three-game series. A darn impressive day for sure. The championship three-peat a trilogy of titles adding gusto to the day’s glory.
The story however hardly starts or ends with the last three seasons. When it comes to Tri-Town it is only partially about how good the team has been, sharing time with the recognition of how long they have been good.
The Trojans basked in the glow of another title Sunday. But the day wasn’t just about the day or even the last couple of championship seasons. It demanded that you appreciate that this has been going on a long time.
These guys are no one-hit wonders. They are not new to nor awed by championship dance and its vibe. They are not on a nice little run. This title was just a continuation of living on the Tri-State mountaintop. The Trojans don’t always win there but they are almost assured to be there.
Ten championship finals in 13 years. Five titles. Since 2010, only in 2012, 2016 and 2019 were the Trojans not around for the end and in those years they lost in the semifinals. Forgive people in those seasons if they wondered if they were at the wrong field without Tri-Town not in one of the dugouts.
Only Bethlehem who appeared in 12 titles in 15 seasons (1996-2010), winning six, is even in the same solar system as Tri-Town for domination over an extended period of time in the modern world.
The end as it always does will come sometime. Nobody, not the Celtics, Yankees, Patriots stays on top forever. There will be challengers, there always is. Bethlehem, Tri-Town’s victim the last two seasons, is knocking on the door, but there is no end in sight here. Check it out on you GPS, you will come up empty.
The Trojans have found a wonderful mix of youth and experience over an extended period of time that both show up to the field and show up on the field. Not easy to pull off for any adult recreation team that has college players, family men and plain old job commitments. They have found combinations that work.
Coach Dan McCarty has been with the team since 2005 and is 36 while Casey McDonald came a year later. They are not guys standing in the back of the dugout. They love coming and still perform. McCarty ended up getting the game winning hit a year ago in the first title win over Bethlehem. McDonald, also 35, anchored left field in this season’s series.
“We’re both starters,” McCarty said when talking about the team’s veteran experience.
“This all started with the older guys, they gave us the winning mentality,” said McDonald. “The younger guys follow suit. A lot of us grew up together, it’s not just some summer baseball for us. Danny and I were the best man at each other’s wedding. “
But there is more. Rubber-armed pitcher Miles Scribner came aboard in 2010 and shut the Plowboys down in Game 1 is 35. Former Torrington High star Mike Fabiaschi, a young colt at 35 joined in 2008. He spent four seasons in the Oakland A’s chain and was 8-for-12 in this series and 12-for-18 in the last two championship series. Not to mention still plays shortstop with the smoothness of a granite counter top. Former major league pitcher Evan Scribner is 38 and went 5-for-12 in this series.
Pitcher Bobby Chatfield is 34 and still humming along. This is the core of the Trojans success.
Throw in the `youngsters’ like first baseman Coleby Bunnell and former Orioles farmhand Willy Yahn along with the Troy boys, Tom and Matt, Austin Patenaude, Jon McNelis and Joe Grantmeyer and you have a championship blend of old and new.
And how about Connor Gannon who was flawless in the final game, allowing Bethlehem just three hits and three baserunners through eight innings. Another one of those essential contributing pieces.
“It’s just a mixture of veterans and we bring in young guys,” McCarty says with pride. “Today that was obvious. It’s Trojan baseball. I have to turn a lot of kids away who want to play for us because they don’t fit our mold. “
It’s a championship mold and you don’t break the mold. The Trojans have a chance to tie Torrington’s record of four straight Tri-State League titles next season. Nobody is going anywhere. Whatever happens the title will go through Tri-Town.
It has for the better part of 15 years. Nothing is a sure thing and the Trojans will be the first to tell you that. Will they be there? Will they win there? Who knows.
What is known is the mold is one of proven success and has been for a very long time. This title was a great day, one of the many in a long run of great days.
Game 2 RECAP
Plowboys Hold off Trojans – force Game 3 in Tri-State Series
copyright Kevin Roberts Republican-American 8/12/23
WATERBURY, CT. – 12 August 2023-081123SV09-#24 Keegan Daigle of the Bethlehem Plowboys pitches against Tri-Town Trojans during the Tri-State Baseball League championship series in Waterbury Saturday. Steven Valenti Republican-American
WATERBURY – The Tri-Town Trojans and Bethlehem Plowboys will need a third game to decide their Connecticut Tri-State Baseball League World Series, and that only seems fitting. “I’ve been telling these guys all year long. I said, ‘Listen, it’s going to take three,’” Bethlehem manager Rich Revere said after his team’s 5-4 win on Saturday afternoon at Municipal Stadium. “We split the season series (2-2). It just makes so much sense that this series is split going into an elimination game.” Game 3 is today at 2pm at Municipal. A win for Tri-Town means a third straight championship. A Bethlehem victory garners the first title for the team since 2010.
The Plowboys got a terrific pitching performance from starter Keegan Daigle (8 innings, 1 run, 5 hits, 12 strikeouts, 1 walk) Saturday, then held on when the Trojans rallied against Kyle Banche in the top of the ninth. Tri-Town had a runner on second with two out, but Banche got a called third strike to end the game. For the first seven innings, the Trojans managed just two hits and a walk off Daigle. “You’ve got to attack them, first pitch strikes. They have a couple former pro guys, so you know they’re a legit team,” Daigle said. “It definitely was challenging, but get first pitch strikes, then come in with something, maybe a slider, something different just to mix them up a little bit, and then go from there.” “Keegan Daigle did his job, struck 70 people out,” Tri-Town player/manager Danny McCarty said. “We just got to put the bat on the ball. We’re trying to do too much against a pitcher like that. Just make contact and see what happens.”
While the Trojans took a long time to get going, the Plowboys struck in the first inning off Bobby Chatfield (8 innings, 5 runs, 11 hits, 6 strikeouts, 4 walks) when Matt Mancini singled home Jon Wilson. In the fourth inning, Ricky Descoteaux (3-for-4, 2 RBI) led off with a double, then Campbell singled. After a pop out, a Colby Linnell grounder scored Descoteaux for a 2-0 lead. Joe Rupe’s RBI double gave the Plowboys a 3-0 advantage. “That was huge. Putting up runs was huge,” Daigle said. “We knew we were going to put up runs today.” Bethlehem left the bases loaded in the fifth, but put runs on the board when it got another chance in the seventh. Descoteaux’s two-run double scored Chase Belisle (single) and Alex James (single) for a 5-0 lead.
Tri-Town finally dented Daigle in the top of the eighth inning. Tommy Troy’s two-out, broken-bat infield single scored Austin Swanson to make the score 5-1. Swanson was in for Evan Scribner, who led off with a double. Bethlehem turned to Banche for the ninth, but Tri-Town came ready to hit. Willy Yahn ripped a ball to the left side. Plowboy third baseman Isaiah Johnson took a step to his left, dove and stopped the ball. Johnson got up and threw out the speedy Yahn for the first out. “Great play by Isaiah Johnson. If that goes by, it’s a different game,” McCarty said. Austin Patenaude singled, then Mike Fabiaschi (2-for-4) followed with a double. Bethlehem got the second out, but Swanson kept Tri-Town alive with a two-run single. When Jon McNelis’ grounder was thrown away, Swanson scored and it was 5-4. McNelis stole second, but Banche got the final out he needed to end the game.
Bethlehem wasn’t committed to a Game 3 starter. McCarty said Tri-Town will go with Connor Gannon, normally the closer, to start with Aidan Donohue in relief. Both teams will be ready to go. “We’re going to put him in the starting position and let the young man eat,” said McCarty about Gannon. “We’ll be ready to hit though, that’s for sure. I think this was a wakeup call.” “We’re going to give them all we’ve got (today),” Revere said. “We’re going to come out hot like we do, get the bats going, and we want to win the championship.”
Game 1 RECAP
Tri-Town One Win Away From Third Straight Title
copyright Gerry DeSimas Collinsville Press 8/11/23
PHOTO: Tri-Town’s Willy Wahn is tagged out at home by Bethlehem catcher Chaz Belise in the eighth inning of game one of the Tri-State League’s championship series on Friday night at Fuessenich Park.
TORRINGTON, August 11, 2023 – Pitcher Miles Scribner scattered seven hits and struck out seven to help the Tri-Town Trojans beat the Bethlehem Plowboys Friday night, 5-1 to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-3 Tri-State League championship series at Fuessenich Park.
The Trojans (23-2) hope to win on Saturday and become the first team in 28 years to win three consecutive league championships. Tri-Town and Bethlehem (20-5) will meet at 2 p.m. at Municipal Stadium in Waterbury. A third game, if necessary, will be Sunday at Municipal Stadium at noon.
The last team to win three straight league titles was the Torrington Rebels, who won four straight championships from 1992 through 1995.
Tri-Town manager Danny McCarty said his team isn’t feeling the pressure.
“All of these guys have been here before,” he said. “We want it and we’re (here) in it (finals). These guys really want it that bad. They don’t feel the pressure but we need to get our bats going. To sleep for six innings after a good first inning isn’t a good thing.”
Tri-Town took an early 2-0 lead in the first inning. Willy Yahn led off the inning by reaching on an error and scored on Mike Fabiaschi’s RBI triple. Fabiaschi scored on Coleby Bunnell’s sacrifice fly to left field.
The Trojans made it 3-0 in the third inning. Fabiaschi led off with a single and moved to second base on a walk. He scored on a fielder’s choice.
PHOTO: Tri-Town pitcher Miles Scribner struck out seven and gave up seven hits and one run in eight innings of work Friday night in Torrington.
Bethlehem cut the lead to two runs in the sixth inning. Greg Campbell had a one-out single and moved to third base on Matt Mancini’s double. Campbell scored on a RBI single from Rick Descouteaux to trim the lead to 3-1.
The Plowboys threatened in the eighth inning. Bethlehem loaded the bases thanks to singles from Brice Waldron and George Bidkha and Jon Wilson getting hit by a pitch. But Scribner got Joe Rupe to fly out to right field to end the threat.
Tri-Town responded in the bottom of the eighth. Yahn reached on a single and promptly stole second and third base. Austin Patenaude walked to put two men on base. Yahn was thrown out at home on a fielder’s choice that allowed Fabiaschi to reach base.
With two outs, Evan Scribner ripped a hard line drive up the middle that bounced off the mound and past second base into center field for a two-run single and a 5-1 lead.
After Miles Scribner gave up a leadoff single in the ninth inning, reliever Connor Gannon came in and struck out two to secure the win for Tri-Town.
Tri-Town is seeking their fifth league championship while the Plowboys are looking for their first Tri-State title since 2010. Tri-Town swept the Plowboys in last year’s finals, 2-0.