8-Year-Olds

The Landscaping Unlimited Yellow Jackets were at full strength Saturday and displayed what could arguably be said to be their best play yet this season.  From the mound Jake Hossler, Brian Pendergast and RJ Eller were all throwing heat.  Hossler and Pendergast both posted strikeouts and Eller made a heads up play by tagging the runner on a short grounder down the first base line.  In the field, every fly ball seemed to find its way into a Yellow Jacket’s glove.  Eric Gray caught one at second base and Hossler was a magnet with one at first and two in left center.  Nothing seemed to get past them on the ground either.  Eller scooped a grounder at second with a short flip to Gray at first and Benjamin Ochs made a couple tough stops at the hot corner.  From the outfield Noah DiNallo connected with Vinny Wilson at second and Walker Previdi to Devin Herbstman at first.  The Jackets were on fire from the plate with multiple singles by Sam Cannizzo, Tyler Harrison and Blake Palmer and big smashes by Hossler and Pendergast and a double by Previdi.

The Stratton-Faxon Phillies played two games this week, including an appearance in Monday night baseball.  Highlights included a double blasted to the outfield by Cameron Audet, a two RBI triple by Andon Bambino, two RBIs on two hits from Colin Adis, a double and three singles by Connor Faxon, two hits by Adam Zibluk, and nice hitting by Thomas Speiser and Mason Woodard.  Defensive standouts included Andrew Kugler who caught a pop-up at first base, Steven Berard who pitched well and caught an infield pop-up, Julian Crone who covered second base and caught the throw for the force out, and Connor Faxon who played heads up and tagged a runner who overran second base.  Matthew Berard pitched well and got a few hits.  Steven Cotton had two sliding catches, and had another catch in left field and then gunned out a runner who strayed too far from first base for the double play.

Frate Custom Cabinetry & Winnick Steel:  Another great week of baseball was seen again this past weekend.  Matt Williams, Jackson Newsom and Ryan Verdi led the pitching staff, recording six strike outs.  David Braun and James Celentano continued their overpowering hitting. On the defensive side, Shayne Frate, Nick Sabillon and Josh Parsons had a solid game in the field.

The Network Synergy Black Knights played a great game led by the pitching and fielding of Miller Tetreault and Ryan Heran.  Jake Mailloux added three hits, Noah Clark had a sharp single to right field while Jack Petersen hit a long triple to deep left field.  Cal Reilly and James Ciaramello also made some outstanding plays in the field.

Art and Frame of Danbury:  The Art and Framers saw the pitching debuts of Matthew DeMott, Liam O’Sullivan and Trevor Hislop.  All three pitched a great inning.  James Hillefeld had two sharp singles, while Travis McClay, Wiley Harris and William Hornby also collected two hits.  Sean O’Sullivan recorded an outfield assist as he fired the ball to second from deep left center field as Wiley Harris applied the tag.

Apex Glass: The Navy Seals played two games this week:  Game 1: The defensive MVP was Ryan McMahon, who made an outstanding catch of a hard line drive in left field to save extra bases.  The offensive MVP was Zander Kasbarian, who had two doubles and literally knocked the cover off the ball with his second double to the fence in left field. Game 2: Team offensive MVPs were Connor Smith (three hits with and RBI), Zander Kasbarian (three for four with two doubles, RBI, run), Drew Poseno (three hits, run), George Sandercox (three hits with two doubles and two RBI’s), Cooper Agresta (three hits with an RBI), Owen Browne (three for three with three runs), and Michael Jewell (three hits with three RBI’s).  Other contributors were Ryan McMahon (starting pitcher, RBI single, run), Matthew McMahon (single, run), Andrew McMahon and Tommy Gies (both had an RBI single and inning pitched), and Edwin Tout (single).   Defensive MVP’s were Zander Kasbarian (unassisted double play at first base), and Andrew McMahon (great stretch play at first and tag play at home plate while catching two record outs).

9-Year-Olds

Newtown Renegades 8, New Fairfield 6: It took an extra inning for the Newtown Renegades to overcome New Fairfield in the 19th Annual Al Leonard Jimmy Fund Tournament on Saturday morning in Bethel. The Renegades were down three in the top of the second when Josh Taylor hit a triple to score Matt Bradbury. In the top of the fifth, Dillon Robinson hit a two-run single to tie the game at 3-3. CJ Giacin followed with an opposite field single to score Robinson and give the Renegades the 4-3 lead. In the bottom of the fifth, New Fairfield answered with three runs to take a 6-4 lead. In the top of the sixth, Thomas Tavar knocked a single to score Will Swift. Three batters later, John Godino hit a grounder to short that brought home Tavar, tying the game at 6-6. In the top of the seventh, Shane Luzietti led off with a single and Taylor followed with another triple to drive Luzietti home. Taylor then scored on a passed ball, giving the Renegades the 8-6 lead. On the mound, Godino and Taylor combined for eight strikeouts, while Joey Rios held New Fairfield scoreless over the last 21/3 innings to seal the victory.

McGuire’s Ale House Brewers 9, Haywood Insurance Marines 4: Strong pitching and solid defense were the difference in the Brewers 9-4 win over the Marines on Saturday afternoon at Liberty Field. For the Brewers, Shane Luzietti, Jake Pare and Brett Melchionno combined for 12 strikeouts over six innings. Aidan Finnegan led the offensive charge with a triple, two singles and four RBIs, while Kyle Reilly made a diving catch in right field to rob the Marines of an extra base hit. For the Marines, Connor Haywood, Thomas Tavar and Will Swift combined for 12 strikeouts. Haywood and Joey Rios each had two hits, while Tavar brought in two runs with a line drive single. The Brewers will face the Mobil 1 Express Drillers in the 9-year-old division championship game on Sunday morning at Sandy Hook School.

11-Year-Olds

Sugar Hill Auto Sharks 10, Ferro Financial Green Machine 7: The Sugar Hill Auto Sharks came back to earn a hard-fought 10-7 win over the Green Machine in the second round of the 11-year-old playoffs.  The Sharks got ahead 6-1, the Green Machine stormed back to get ahead 7-6 before the Sharks countered with four runs in the fourth to seal the victory.  Robert Murray, Harry Lucas and Jamey Hobar all had two hits, while Ryan Williams added a clutch two RBI singles in the third inning.  Ryan Mailloux limited the Machine to one run over two innings, while Murray closed out the win with two scoreless innings in relief.  John Finnegan, Liam Deakin, Jimmy Doutney and Justin Kahn all contributed key defensive plays in the game.    The Machine scored six times in the third with two outs.  Matt Jewell, Dino Vogiatzis and Sean Connor played strong defense in the field.  Nicolas Stowell started the scoring in the sixth by walking followed by Jackson Dooley’s single.

Ferro Financial Green Machine 7, Ingersoll Auto Black Grass 6: In the second round of the playoffs, the Green Machine came back twice to tie the game and won in the bottom of the seventh, thanks to Kyle Roche’s walk-off, two-out single to score Jack Miller.   The Black Grass played a tough game with key defensive stops and quality pitching.    James Heran pitched a scoreless seventh, facing four batters.  The Machine’s defense was strong in the inning with Jack Swanson making a great catch in right for the second out.  Roche, Miller, and Tim Shaw combined for nine strike outs with Shaw setting down three in a row in the sixth.    Jackson Dooley and Tyler Trede scored on Roche’s first hit of game to tie it at six in the fifth.  Heran continue his season long hot hitting by going three for three in the game including a double.

Carminuccio’s Pizza 5 Blue Devil’s 4: In a close game throughout, Carminuccio’s took an early 4-0 lead after one inning off of strong hitting by Tim Davis, Cole Demerjian, Matthew Menousek and Mason Fiorilla.  For Carminuccio’s there was strong pitching by Jimmy Davies and Cole Demirjian and a solid outing by Luke Melillo only giving up three runs.  Cole Demirjian had two hits and Jeremy Fisher had a hit.  For the Blue Devil’s Josh Dunn and David Kohler each had two hits with Andrew Lally and Derrick Lewis each adding a hit as the Blue Devils added three in the fourth and one in the fifth to tie the game.  Derrick Lewis pitched two scoreless innings and David Kohler gave up one in two innings, but the run by Carminuccio’s in the sixth, off a steal home by Tim Davis, proved to be the difference maker in a very close game.  The win allowed Carminuccio’s to play for the championship on Monday evening against Sugar Hill Auto Sharks.

13-Year-Olds

New Milford B 2, Hurricanes 1: The Newtown Hurricanes’ 13U travel team opened its 2012 campaign with three tough losses. In I-84 League play, the team lost its home opener. Owen Samson pitched a strong game by allowing one run on four hits over three innings of work, Sean Ferris turned in five stellar fielding plays in left field, and Thomas Cotton had three put-outs while playing second base.  Shawn Fulton and Brian Gallagher each reached base two times with Fulton scoring on a fielder’s choice by Austin Dignan.

New Fairfield 8, Hurricanes 7: The Hurricanes participated in the 13-year-old Jimmy Fund tournament held in Newtown this past weekend. In the second inning, the Hurricanes struck for six runs on hits by Brian Gallagher, Sean Ferris and Robert Katrinak, and Matthew Kugler knocked in a run with a sacrifice fly. Also collecting hits in the game were Spencer Johnson with a double to deep center and Owen Samson stroking a single into left field. Samson pitched another strong game by going four innings, giving up three runs on five hits and Tucker Kistner made three putouts while playing center field.

New Milford A 11, Hurricanes 1: In the second round of the Jimmy Fund tournament, after Newtown gave up seven runs within the first two innings, Austin Dignan came on in relief and had a strong effort while allowing four runs on five hits over four innings of work. Austin Kasbarian turned double play while playing second base to help Dignan out of a fourth inning jam. Shawn Fulton collected the team’s only hit and Spencer Johnson reached base two times and scored on a passed ball.

16-19-Year-Olds

Lightning 9, Pomperaug 6: Making his first mound appearance in senior baseball, 15-year-old Bobby Archiere struck out 13 hitters in 42/3 innings of relief pitching to lead Newtown to its fourth victory. The lefty fireballer put together an incredible performance, entering the game with two runners on base and the Lightning clinging to a 7-6 lead. He walked his first batter and then struck out the next two batters. Using a tailing fastball that darted across batters’ knees, Archiere struck out the side in the fourth, sixth and seventh innings, and yielded just one hit, a bunt single. Newtown scored three runs in the first inning. Brandon Cooper walked, and Ben Stoller drilled a single to center off losing pitcher Mac Leeper, the No. 2 pitcher for Woodbury’s Nonnewaug High. Wyatt Depuy’s infield grounder knocked in Cooper, and Stoller scored when Michael Allwein slapped an RBI single to left. Alex Lapinski followed with a single to right, and Allwein later scored on a wild pitch. Pomperaug tied the game, 3-3, in the first inning, highlighted by a long double to left by Sandy Hook’s Eli Klorczyk. Newtown upped the lead to 5-3 in the second. Colton Sposta reached on a two-base error, and Cooper ripped an RBI double to right. Stoller moved him to third on a groundout, and David Lucia banged an RBI single to right. Lucia later scored on an RBI groundout by Allwein. With Newtown leading 5-3 in the third inning, Archiere walked, Eric Pisani lined a single, Cooper walked and Stoller also walked to drive in a run. Sposta had retired the side in order in the second inning but ran into trouble in the bottom of the third, largely because of his team’s three fielding errors. That’s when Archiere came to the rescue and shut the door.

Watertown 3, Lightning 2: Newtown battled back from a 2-0 deficit to tie the score, and the game went two extra innings before ending in controversy Saturday at the Taft School in Watertown, Newtown Coach Gary Stoller said. With the score tied 2-2 and two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Watertown’s Rob Valunas, who pitches for Western Connecticut State University, singled Victor Rodriguez, Torrington High School’s starting catcher, to third. Newtown third baseman Eric Sutton requested time out, and the field umpire extended both hands over his head, the signal for a time out, Stoller said. Valunas broke for second as Newtown relief pitcher Colton Sposta walked to the mound. Sposta ran at Valunas and threw to shortstop David Lucia. Rodriguez broke for home and scored ahead of Lucia’s throw. Newtown protested that no one was allowed to run, because time out had been called. The field umpire denied calling timeout or putting his hands over his head to call time out, Stoller said. Valunas struck out 11 batters over seven innings, limiting Newtown to two hits and two walks. Newtown’s Chris Haylon, who pitches for Franklin & Marshall College, also pitched brilliantly, giving up only two hits and three walks over seven innings. Both runs he surrendered were unearned. Trailing 2-0 in the fifth inning, the Lightning’s David Lucia lined a double down the left field line — his second hit of the game. He moved to third on a groundout by Michael Allwein and scored when Alex Lapinski’s groundball to shortstop Stanley Kijo was thrown away for a two-base error. Newtown tied the score in the sixth. Bobby Archiere and Alex Romeo walked. Archiere moved to third when the catcher’s pickoff throw had to be picked out of the dirt by the shortstop. Will Arndt lofted a long RBI sacrifice fly to center to score Archiere. In the bottom of the ninth — before the game ended controversially — Watertown’s Alec Mayo, who plays for Watertown High School, tried to steal home from third base. Sposta delivered the pitch which beat Mayo home by several steps. Allwein made the tag, and Mayo illegally crashed his forearms into Allwein’s head. Mayo was ejected.

Lightning 11, Danbury Two 1: The Lightning struck for seven third-inning runs to seal the game at Danbury’s Rogers Park last week (June 14). Newtown pitcher Austin Ekstrom gave up a first-inning run on three hits and then shut out Danbury on no hits during the next three innings to get the win. Newtown also scored once in the first after leadoff hitter Will Arndt struck out but reached first base when the third strike bounced past the catcher. Arndt stole second and moved to third on a fielder’s choice grounder by Ben Stoller that was thrown away by the shortstop. David Lucia drove Arndt home with a sacrifice fly to center. Newtown scored a second run in the next inning when Alex Saviano singled sharply up the middle and later scored on a sacrifice fly to left by Alex Romeo. In the third inning, Arndt was hit by a pitcher and moved to third on the pitcher’s errant pickoff throw. Stoller drilled an RBI single to center, stole second and scored on Lucia’s scorching line-drive triple over the centerfielder’s head. Wyatt Depuy hit a sacrifice fly to center to plate Lucia. Alex Lapinski dropped a single to center, stole second and scored on two wild pitches. Saviano and Ekstrom walked, and after they advanced to second and third, Romeo lined a two-RBI single to right. Romeo later scored on Arndt’s fielder’s choice grounder. Newtown scored its final run after Lucia lined a singled and stole second in the fourth inning. Depuy’s grounder moved him to third, and Lapinski’s RBI grounder brought Lucia home. In the second inning, center fielder Depuy made an incredible catch, tracking down a long fly ball and making a backhand grab over his head, submarine pitcher Dan Harrison pitched the final inning, retiring three consecutive batters.