Tri-Town Four-Peat Complete – in front of 300 fans
Watch: The big hit, the final out, and the celebration | Republican-American (rep-am.com
Fabiaschi, Gannon lead Trojans to Tri-State Four-Peat
copyright Kevin Roberts Rep-American 8/20/24
WATERBURY – Tri-Town Trojans shortstop Mike Fabiaschi described his recent hitting struggles as being as cold as ice.
But when his team needed a big hit with the bases loaded in the top of the eighth inning of the Tri-State World Series Game 3 on Tuesday night, Fabiaschi delivered. His two-run single, in support of the complete-game excellence of Connor Gannon for the second straight year, gave the Trojans a 3-1 win over the Bethlehem Plowboys at Municipal Stadium.
It also gave Tri-Town a championship four-peat, something only the Amenia Monarchs (1982-1985) and Torrington Rebels (1992-1995) had done before the Trojans.
“It’s such a special group of guys. I’m so happy I found this team in 2022,” Gannon said. “I didn’t really have a summer league team, so I look forward to playing with them for as long as possible. Hopefully, the job isn’t finished yet. Hopefully, we can break the record.”
Gannon was a complete-game winner in the winner-take-all third game against Bethlehem each of the past two seasons.
“I just wanted to, obviously, tie the record, but also there’s been some rumors that some of the older guys might be done playing, so I made an emphasis today to come out and give it my all, so we could get the ‘W’ and bring them back and go for the record,” Gannon said.
The offensive help came in the top of the eighth inning.
Bethlehem intentionally walked leadoff batter Willy Yahn with Casey McDonald on third base after two outs were made on bunts.
McDonald reached on an infield error leading off the inning. Owen Hibbard was hit by a pitch, however, and that loaded the bases for Fabiaschi.
“I had a better at bat the time before for a walk. I started to see the ball a little bit better,” Fabiaschi said. “I made a little adjustment physically that I think helped me see the ball a bit better, and I stayed with the same approach. See a pitch in the zone and get the barrel on it, and it found green grass.”
Fabiaschi’s hit scored McDonald and Yahn for a 3-1 lead. It was all the support Gannon needed. The right-hander retired the last seven hitters he faced, a far cry from the regular season when the Plowboys got to him in a loss in Litchfield.
“I was happy to do it. They’re a great hitting team,” Gannon said. “They roughed me up the first game I pitched against them, but I just kind of kept the mentality that I had the previous two years and not think about that meaningless start in the regular season.”
Tri-Town struck first on Hibbard’s RBI single in the third inning that drove in Yahn, who had doubled. Bethlehem got the run right back in the bottom of the third when Jarrett Michaels blasted an RBI double to score Jesse Swartout, who led off with a single.
Trojans outlasts Plowboys earn their place in Tri-State history with four-peat
copyright Kevin Roberts 8/22/24 Sports on 69
For seven innings, the Tri-Town Trojans and Bethlehem Plowboys hooked up in a terrific pitchers’ duel that left Tuesday night’s Game 3 of the Tri-State World Series in a stalemate.
Tri-Town broke through with the big two-run hit, which came off the bat of veteran Mike Fabiaschi, in the top of the eighth inning and beat Bethlehem, 3-1, to claim its fourth straight Tri-State championship. The Trojans, who knocked off the Plowboys in the World Series for the third consecutive year, equaled the four-peats spun by the Amenia Monarchs (1982-1985) and Torrington Rebels (1992-1995). Tri-Town also sent Danny McCarty off with a fifth championship in his final game as manager. McCarty has been with the Trojans since their inception in 2005, and he was also part of all six Tri-State championships.
Tri-Town’s big break came in the top of the eighth inning. Casey McDonald led off and reached on an infield error. Tom Troy put down a great bunt and was safe at first, but the call was overturned because it was determined that he was out of the baseline when he avoided Bethlehem first baseman Ian Schmidt. Joey Weed sacrificed McDonald to third base, which brought up leadoff batter Willy Yahn with two outs. The Plowboys had reliever Brett Wilkes walk Yahn to get to Owen Hibbard. Wilkes hit Hibbard, however, which loaded the bases for Fabiaschi. The veteran shortstop, who had struggled in this World Series, came up big in the clutch with a two-run single to drive in McDonald and Yahn.
Bethlehem could only watch as Tri-Town starter Connor Gannon worked his way through the final six batters in order. For the second straight year, Gannon had thrown a complete game in the deciding Game 3. And for the second straight year, Gannon found himself in the middle of a Trojan championship celebration at Waterbury’s Municipal Stadium.
Tri-Town struck first when Hibbard singled home Yahn in the top of the third inning. Yahn had doubled to the left field wall with two outs. Bethlehem answered in the bottom half of the inning when Jarrett Michaels ripped his own double to the left field wall. The hit scored Jesse Swartout, who singled to lead off the frame.
Bethlehem starter Kyle Banche pitched well into the sixth inning before back-to-back walks to Hibbard and Fabiaschi did him in. Tri-Town tried a double steal with Wilkes on in relief, but Bethlehem caught Hibbard in a rundown to end the inning. Jon Wilson doubled past a diving McDonald in left field with two outs in the Plowboy half of the sixth, but Gannon got a grounder to Matt Troy at second base for the last out. Wilson was the last baserunner of the game for Bethlehem.
Tri-Town converts in eighth inning to win fourth straight Tri-State Title
Copyright Gerry Desimas Collinsville Press 8/20/24
WATERBURY, Aug. 20, 2024 – A year ago, Tri-Town’s Mike Fabiaschi was on fire in the Tri-State League championship series against Bethlehem. He was 8-for-12 at the plate with a triple and two doubles.
On Tuesday night, he came to the plate with two outs in the top of the eighth inning, the bases loaded and the game tied. He had just one hit in his previous nine at-bats in the three-game series.
Fabiaschi ripped a double into the gap between center and right field that drove in two runs and helped the Tri-Town Trojans beat the Bethlehem Plowboys, 3-1 at Municipal Stadium to win the Tri-State League championship for the fourth consecutive year.
The Trojans (24-4) beat Bethlehem (26-3) by a 2-1 margin in the best-of three series. Tri-Town beat the Plowboys for the third straight year in the finals.
For the second consecutive year, Tri-Town pitcher Connor Gavin was the winning pitcher in game three with a complete game effort. A year ago, he allowed three hits and struck out four in a 9-0 shutout win over Bethlehem to win the title.
On Tuesday night, Gavin allowed five hits, struck out six and didn’t walk a batter. He retired 18 of the last 19 batters he faced over the final six innings.
Tri-Town received complete game performances from each of their starting pitchers in the series. Miles Scribner prevailed in a 10-1 victory in game one while Bobby Chatfield gave up just four hits and struck out five in a 2-0 loss in game two.
“The pitching was unreal,” Tri-Town manager Danny McCarty said. “I can’t say anymore about it. I’m speechless.”
Gavin, who pitched three seasons at Western Connecticut State, kept the Trojans in the game until Fabiaschi got the key hit to spark another championship celebration by the Trojans.
Bethlehem’s Jon Wilson was the only Plowboy to get on base in the final five innings with his two-out double in the sixth inning.
“I just made an effort to come out and give it my all so we can bring them (Tri-Town’s older players) back to go for the record,” Gavin said. “I was happy to do it.”
Tri-Town is the first team to win four consecutive league championships since the Torrington Rebels from 1992-95. Tri-Town has won five championships since 2018. The Terryville Black Sox won in 2019 and the 2020 season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tri-Town used a pair of two-out rallies to win the championship.
In the third inning, third baseman Willy Yahn doubled with two outs down the third base line. He scored on Owen Hibbard’s RBI single down the first base line off Bethlehem starting pitcher Kyle Banche for a 1-0 lead.
Bethlehem responded immediately. Catcher Jesse Swartout singled to lead off the inning before scoring on an one-out double into left field from Jarrett Michaels to tie the game at 1-1.
In the eighth, Tri-Town’s Casey McDonald led off the inning by reaching first base on an error. Two sacrifice bunts off Plowboy reliever Brett Wilks allowed McDonald to move to third base.
Bethlehem intentionally walked Yahn, who got his bat on the ball all series long. But Wilks hit Hibbard to load the bases with two outs. Fabiaschi followed with his game-winning double.
When he stepped to the plate, Fabiaschi was quite aware of his recent slump in the series. “Cold as ice,” he said. But he was buoyed by his walk in the sixth inning.
“It was the last game of the year. We had to stay locked in,” he said. “I was looking for a pitch in the zone and to get the barrell (of the bat) on it. It found green grass.”
Bethlehem, which had the best record in the league during the regular season at 21-1, just couldn’t string together enough hits to rally.
“We had the one (hit) that fell in our favor and that was the difference,” Fabiaschi said.
Tri-Town made just one error in the series and had Yahn at third base vacuuming up anything that strayed into his path. In game two, he had three consecutive putouts in one inning.
The Plowboys had a defensive stopper of their own. Swartout threw out three Tri-Town runners in the series, including Yahn twice in a 2-0 game two victory.
Tri-Town moves into rare air with their consecutive championships. Many players have been on the roster for years. “I’ve had the same starting lineup since 2021,” an emotional McCarty said afterwards. He said this was his final year as manager of the club.
“We really have a great group of guys,” Fabiaschi said. “There are a lot of guys who are pretty selfless. You have guys here tonight that could be playing on other teams who are locked into the game, ready to do whatever it takes (to win and be successful).”
Wilson was 2-for-4 for the Plowboys, the other player in the game with multiple hits.
One More Time for Tri-Town
copyright Rick Wilson Litchfield County Sports 8/20/24
WATERBURY – The scene never seems to change – Municipal Stadium, a sea of players decked out in their trademark camouflage shirts, bonding in jubilation near the pitcher’s mound then posing for the team photo with the Tri-State League trophy in the middle. Years pass and yet so many of the faces stay familiar.
It is a timeless testament to the magnificence of the Tri-Town Trojans, and it was all on display again Tuesday night. The Trojans captured their fourth straight league title, tying Torrington (1992-1995) for the league record with a tight 3-1 victory over Bethlehem in the third and deciding game of the series.
It was a lot of the Trojans recipe for titles with tight play and big plays. This time the focus on Connor Gannon (again) and Mike Fabiaschi (again).
It was also Tri-Town’s third straight championship win over Bethlehem and the third straight time Connor Gannon has stood on the mound as the game’s winning pitcher.
A tip of the cap, a little salute, a quick bow. Appreciation deserved; respect demanded.
“It feels great, our winning tradition, I couldn’t be more proud of these guys,” Tri-Town manager Dan McCarty said. “It’s just our team, our mentality. We’ve been together so long. A lot of these guys have five championships since 2018. Knowing that we’ve been here before helps us out. “
Gannon, last year’s winning pitcher in the title game, was superb, scattering five hits while striking out six without walking a batter. Jarrett Michael’s RBI double that hit the bottom of the fence near the 382-foot sign in the third inning accounted for the Plowboys only run.
After the third inning Gannon allowed just two hits the rest of the way, Nate Cormier’s single and the second of Jon Wilson’s two hits, a double down the left field line.
“I figured that you give up some hits, but you just have to minimize the damage,” Gannon said “Getting out of the damage in the third inning with the score 1-1 was crucial. “I went into this game thinking I’ve done it the last two years. My mentality was just keep the score at 1-1 and we have guys that will get the big hit. “
“I tell Connor every time when we play here, pitch to Municipal Park. Long fly balls are fine,” McCarty said. “He’s just a dog. He wanted this game. He’s done this two years in a row. He feels so confident on the mound with us because we play defense and hit. “
Bethlehem received a fine performance from starter Kyle Banche who allowed just one run in 52/3 innings. Owen Hibbard’s RBI single plated Willy Yahn (2B) in the third inning for Tri-Town.
But with the score tied, 1-1, going into the eighth inning, the Trojans did what they do – come up with the big play. Casey McDonald reached on an error to start the frame and moved to third base on two sacrifice bunts from Tom Troy and Joey Weed.
Bethlehem then intentionally walked the dangerous Yahn to take their chances with Hibbard. The move did not work. Reliever Bret Wilkes hit Hibbard in the foot bringing Mike Fabiaschi to the plate. Despite being hitless in his previous eight at-bats, the former Torrington High star and Oakland A’s farmhand reminded all why you don’t want to pitch to him in this situation.
He laced a shot to right center, driving in two runs for a 3-1 lead.
“I was cold as ice,” Fabiaschi said. “I just had to stay locked in and made an adjustment to see the ball better. I got the barrel on it and found some green grass out there. “
Bethlehem made some solid plays during the game including two eye-opening plays by catcher Jesse Swartout on foul balls and nailing a runner coming home from third base when a runner on first tried to steal second.
But the frustration of another loss was evident.
“Different year same old crap,” said Bethlehem captain Greg Campell. “It’s very frustrating. It feels like the Twi-Light Zone.”
The Plowboys, considered by many the best hitting team in the league managed just four runs and 15 hits in the three-game series, never able to solve pitchers Miles Scribner, Bobby Chatfield and Gannon further twisting the knife.
“That’s not Plowboy baseball, that’s not the way we hit all year,” added Campbell.”
“We just hit a slump at the wrong time,” Bethlehem manager Rich Revere said. “It’s incredibly frustrating.”
Tri-Town finished the season with a 25-5 mark while Bethlehem was 26-4.
Most importantly Tri-Town continues its dominance and dynasty.
Tri-Town wins 4th straight Tri-State League Championship
Copyright Peter Wallace Register Citizen 8/29/24
The Tri-State Baseball League completed its annual ode to baseball last week in a three-day series stretching from Torrington’s Fuessenich Park to Waterbury’s Municipal Stadium, Friday through a rain-delayed Tuesday a week ago. des into Long Isla
nd Sound in Norwalk
The Litchfield-based Tri-Town Trojans emerged champions of the best-of-three World Series for the fourth time in a row, the third time in a row over the regular-season champion Bethlehem Plowboys in the 12-team league covering Connecticut’s Northwest Corner.
For fans, the series’ heartbreaks and heroes spelled out their local argument for baseball still reigning as America’s quintessential game in which batters are successful when they fail just seven times out of every 10 chances, pitchers face one challenger after another for as much as nine innings and fielders stand idle for what can seem like hours for the one fly ball or grounder that can make them stars of the game.
Tri-State shortstop and former minor leaguer Mike Fabiaschi, 35, summed it up best after hitting a game-and-series-winning double with two outs and the bases loaded in the top of the eighth inning in Waterbury Tuesday night.
“There’s only so many things you keep doing that the most important single moment in life is right there,” he said.
The game begs talented players to defy the odds in that fleeting moment, thumbing their noses at previous struggles, emerging true heroes with one swing of the bat.
Fabiaschi, a major hitter in last year’s winning series, endured an 0-for-9 stretch before winning it all this year.
More broadly, the proud Trojans lost their only two games of the regular season against the Plowboys this year. The first time was a classic 3-2 pitchers’ duel between Bethlehem’s Tyler Boisvert and Tri-Town’s Miles Scribner. The second one was an 8-3 Plowboy blowout cementing their role as the league’s best-hitting team.
Bethlehem entered the championship series more confident than it’s ever been against the Trojans.
“We’re getting older and they’re getting younger,” said Tri-Town player/coach Danny McCarty.
Boisvert and Scribner lined up again on the Fuessenich Park mound in a Tri-Town opportunity to spit at baseball’s odds.
They did it in the bottom of the very first inning, when age began representing experience under fire. Two leadoff walks, an RBI Fabiaschi double, McCarty sacrifice fly and a two-run error rang the scoreboard up to 4-0 Trojans.
“When you give Scribner a four-run lead, the game’s over,” said Plowboy coach Rich Revere.
He was right except for more Tri-Town scoring, three Trojan double plays and a solo home run by Bethlehem’s Jarrett Michaels in the bottom of the ninth inning to make it 10-1.
“It was a hanging slider,” grinned Scribner, 36, whose peers, deeming him the best pitcher in the league last year, are likely to do it again this year.
Game two on Saturday was redemption for Bethlehem, heroism for pitcher Austin Brown and heartbreak for Tri-Town pitcher Bobby Chatfield in sterling complete games for both.
“We came out ready to play today,” said Revere, after a game with very few hits on either side and an early lead the Plowboys clung to.
In the Trojans’ only bad inning, Chatfield hit the lead-off Plowboy with a pitch in the top of the second; Isaiah Johnson and Ian Schmidt followed a fielders’ choice with singles and Bethlehem turned a would-be double steal into a second run.
Brown, who joined the team in June, was rock solid along with his defense the rest of the way.
Game three waited through two days of rain for its summer climax at Municipal.
In another pitchers’ duel, between Tri-Town’s Connor Gannon and Plowboy starter Kyle Banche, each team scored a single run in the third inning. Willie Yahn doubled and scored on an error in the top of the inning. Jesse Swartout and Jarrett Michaels combined hits for a Bethlehem run in the bottom.
Tied 1-1 in the top of the sixth, with runners on first and third, McCarty tried to force a run across with a steal sign for Fabiaschi on first with a walk.
“I wanted to see what they’d do,” said McCarty, 36, who insists that he’ll step down from coaching while still playing next year.
Plowboy catcher Swartout shunned Fabiaschi’s steal, picking off the inning’s final out at third instead.
Like everyday life in America, baseball can make you wait for that shining moment.
It began in the top of the eighth with an error, two sacrifice bunts, an intentional walk to Yahn and a hit batter.
For Mike Fabiaschi and the Trojans, the most important single moment in life was right there.
Connor Gannon proceeded to close out the Plowboys for the second year in a row.. Shining moments indeed