With new coaches, Tri-Town begins quest for record 5th straight Tri-State Baseball League Crown
copyright Peter Wallace Register-Citizen May 22, 2025
LITCHFIELD — The Tri-State Baseball League’s four-time defending champion Tri-Town Trojans, based in Litchfield, opened its season Sunday morning at Community Field in a quest to make history in the 12-team league that traces its baseball roots to the 1930s. Two other teams in that span — the Amenia (NY) Monarchs (1982-85), and Torrington Rebels (1992-95) — hit that level of dominance in a league that welcomes current and former college players, a smattering of former pros and the very best of current high school stars. Now, the Trojans, with most of its team intact in an organization that’s played in 11 of the past 14 finals, has a chance to stand alone at five straight Tri-State championships. “For many of these summer league players, this is their major leagues and they take it seriously,” League commissioner Ed Gadomski said.
Walter Yahn, veteran fan of countless high-level baseball games while watching his son Willie star at Housatonic, UConn and five years in the minors, came to a Tri-State game and observed, “I haven’t seen a whole team play this hard in a long time.” Playing hard is Willie’s personal trademark and made him a perfect fit for the Trojans four years ago after his professional days were over. This year, he joins 11-year Trojans veteran Bobbie Chatfield as co-coach after years of team guidance by player/coach Danny McCarty, now happy to be just a player. “When Danny announced his coaching retirement last year (he and his wife are expecting twins next month), Willie and I had a long conversation at midseason,” said Chatfield, one of the league’s premier left-handed pitchers. “Danny was in charge, but basically ran the team by committee anyway, so Willie and I said, ‘Let’s do it together.’” Chatfield, whose next Trojan pitching victory will be his 100th, also happens to be Housatonic High’s first-year head baseball coach. Yahn also plays in another summer league.
This is a team and a league who really can and want to play baseball hard. “In our eyes, it looks the same as the previous years,” says Chatfield, listing some of the returning veterans like Casey MacDonald, McCarty, Colby Bunnell and twins Matt and Tom Troy. Mike Fabiaschi, another former pro, will also be on hand for limited duty with a growing family of his own. “He’s one of my favorite teammates at any level,” Yahn said of Fabiaschi. “When I’m at third and he’s at shortstop, I feel like we’re a wall. He’s calm and even-handed and I play like my hair’s on fire, so he helps me keep an even head.” That sort of balance seems part of the Trojan’s secret sauce. “We have great veterans, but we need youth to fill in our spots on a team where our formula has always been great defense and timely hitting,” says Chatfield. “Our best traits on offense are we put the ball in play, then run as hard as we can, no matter where it is,” says Yahn. “We like to use our legs to keep the pressure on the defense.” Baseball, yes, but also personal bonding. “It’s always ‘How’s your family first?’, then baseball,” said Trojan Brad Ellis on the sidelines at Sunday’s game. “We get together between games, hang out together afterwards and have a special day in memory of departed teammate Joe Bunnell,” says Chatfield.
All the factors came together Sunday in the opener against last year’s third-place Burlington Hunters. Tri-State legend and reigning league Cy Young winner Miles Scribner was on the mound, setting the pace for a 0-0 tie through the first four innings. Trojan bats and legs broke loose for two runs in the fifth. Big, young newcomer Justin Emanuel, a hard-throwing lefty and recent college graduate, warmed up on the sidelines, then entered for two effective relief innings. The coaches also have their sights on his brother Ryan, still playing at Lakeview High, as another prospect. Cooper Johnson, a new player recruited by Yahn from his other league, roamed right field. The Trojans kept hitting and running. The final score, after nine innings, was 7-1, Tri-Town.
Yahn reflected on the difference between this and the AAA level he reached with the Baltimore Oriole organization. “It reminds me how lucky I am to be a Trojan,” he says. “The nature of professional baseball is everybody has to look for their own stats. “Here, everybody just shows up for every game and plays as hard as they can. It’s a tight-knit community where we just happen to play baseball, as well.” “Can we win another championship? Absolutely,” said Scribner, now in his mid-30s, between innings. “We’re getting older, but we’re still playing hard.”