Plowboys, Trojans prevail in semi-finals opener

Plowboys, Trojans prevail in Tri-State League semifinal games

Copyright Kevin Roberts Rep-American August 10,2024

The top-seeded Bethlehem Plowboys and second-seeded Tri-Town Trojans moved to within a win apiece of a third straight Tri-State Baseball League World Series matchup Saturday. Bethlehem downed the fourth-seeded Valley Ducks, 4-2, at Gallop Field in Bethlehem, while Tri-Town scored four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to overtake the third-seeded Burlington Hunters, 6-2, at Community Field in Litchfield. Bethlehem and Valley meet again today at Gallop at noon in Game 2 of their series. Tri-Town and Burlington shift to Fuessenich Park in Torrington for a 1 p.m. first pitch in Game 2 of their series.

The formula for the Plowboys and the Trojans was virtually the same – good starting pitching and big hits – though they used different paths to get there. Bethlehem got eight innings of two-run ball from pitcher Tyler Boisvert (four hits, seven strikeouts, one walk).

“He’s our dog. We ride Tyler,” Bethlehem manager Rich Revere said. “Get him a couple runs, and we’re going to win the game.”

Kyle Banche pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for the save, and he could be there again in relief of Game 2 starter Austin Brown today. Jesse Swartout caught all nine innings in the absence of Chase Belisle (illness), and he hit a solo home run. Matt Palumbo also had a big hit in a three-run third inning to pace the offense.

“He had the big two-RBI double. That’s the difference in the game right there,” Revere said. “We don’t win the game if not for Palumbo, so heck of a job by our guys stepping up.”

Valley did get to Boisvert for two runs in the top of the eighth inning, with both coming on a two-run double by Kyle Daddona. Chris Oliwa pitched the first seven innings and didn’t allow a run after the fifth, but the Ducks couldn’t complete the comeback.

Tri-Town got a complete game from Miles Scribner (two runs, six hits, five strikeouts, one hit batsman). “He was just typical Scrib,” said Kyle Osolin, who was filling in for Danny McCarty as manager. “He just keeps plugging along.” While the Plowboys got their big hits in the third and fifth innings, it took the Trojans until the eighth to break through against the Hunters.

“From our side, I think we were just pressing a little bit early. We had a lot of baserunners, just couldn’t get them through,” Osolin said. “We let the game come to us in the late innings, had patience at the plate and good at bats.”

Coleby Bunnell led off the Tri-Town eighth with a single off Burlington reliever Taylor Donofrio. Austin Patenaude was hit by a pitch and Jon McNelis walked to load the bases. Bryon Carr ripped a two-run single for a 4-2 lead. Casey McDonald had an RBI single, and Matt Troy later added a sacrifice fly to complete the scoring. Burlington scored a run in both the second and third innings. Tommaso Tollis plated Tim Krol (triple) with an RBI groundout in the second, and Sean O’Donnell singled home Zack Rinkavage (double) in the third. Dave Alarcon Jr. gave up two runs on nine hits over six innings in a no-decision.