Rangers’ Baseball Team Outslugs Bethel

Newtown’s 13U-15U baseball team, the Rangers, defeated Bethel 14-10 in the final regular season game, October 26, under the lights at Fairfield Hills Field. Trailing 4-0 after three innings, the Rangers scored 14 runs in the next three innings and coasted to victory — the team’s seventh straight as the Rangers improved to 12-1.

During the first three innings, Bethel fireballer Jake Barriere retired nine consecutive Newtown batters, including seven on strikeouts. Barriere, a varsity pitcher at Abbot Tech, left the mound with a sore arm, and the Rangers pounced on Bethel’s relief pitching and cashed in on several errors. Brock Chimileski and Garrison Buzzanca walked, and Eric Pisani reached on an error to load the bases. Max Lopez ripped an RBI groundout to second base. After Max Temple walked to reload the bases, Buzzanca, Pisani and Temple scored on wild pitches to tie the game.

Leading off in the bottom of the fifth inning, Newtown’s Brandon Cooper launched a double over the right fielder’s head and moved to third on a wild pitch. John Hampford drove him home on an RBI grounder to shortstop. Ryan Pisani walked, Ryan Pavlicek reached on an error, and Chimileski smacked an RBI single up the middle that scored Pisani. Buzzanca walked, and Eric Pisani also walked to drive in a run and give Newtown a 7-4 lead.

Bethel scored two runs to narrow the gap, but Newtown responded with seven sixth-inning runs. Temple walked before John Hull slapped a fly ball down the right field that was dropped by the right fielder for a two-base error. Temple scored, and Hull moved to third on a wild pitch. Ben Stoller walked and stole second. Cooper lofted a high fly ball to centerfield that was misplayed, scoring Hull. Hampford reached on an infield error, and Parker Lintz golfed a two-run single down the right-field line. Pavlicek, Chimileski and Buzzanca drew consecutive walks, and Pavlicek scored on another wild pitch.

Tuning up for the playoffs, the Rangers pitched seven different pitchers. Though they yielded ten runs, seven were unearned, and most Newtown hurlers pitched well. Hull, Pavlicek and Ryan Pisani pitched shutout innings.