Opening Day

Tri-Town Trojans 6 Blasius Chevrolet 4

Miles Scribner picked up the win and Landon Gardella’s two-run triple led the Trojans offense on a day where Joe Bunnell was honored and inducted into the Tri-State Baseball League Hall of Fame. Forever in our HEARTS.

Terryville Black Sox 14 Bethlehem Plowboys 3

The Terryville Black Sox picked up where they left off from the 2019 season with a decisive opening day 14-3 win over the Bethlehem Plowboys at Gallop Field.  The Sox got off to a hot start scoring 9 runs in the first 2 innings led by an Andrew Hinckley grand slam.  Hinckley finished with a double, grand slam, 2 walks and 7 RBI.  Alex Rauso added 2 doubles and RBI while Billy Armstrong had 2 hits and 2 RBI.  4 Black Sox pitchers combined to strikeout 13 over 7 innings while scattering 4 hits and walking 4.  Mike Milius doubled and walked for the Plowboys. 
Blasius Chevrolet 5   Wolcott Scrappers 4

Game recap coming soon…


Burlington Hunters 6   Canton Crushers 5

copyright Gerry DeSimas 5/23/2021 Collinsville Press

 Canton’s boys of summer are back on the diamond again. The Canton Crushers baseball team didn’t play last summer when the Tri-State League cancelled the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
But a year has gone by. We’ve learned more about the contagious virus and how to live with it. We have three vaccines available.
So, on a warm spring afternoon with temperatures in the mid-80s and breezes to cool players and spectators, the Crushers began their seventh season in the Tri-State League with a 6-5 loss to the Burlington Hunters at Bowdoin Field.
The Crushers rapped out 10 hits but Burlington was able to keep the Crushers at bay on the Tri-State League’s Opening Day across the northwest corner of the state.
“It’s great to be playing,” Crushers player/manager and team founder Tom Dubois said. “We didn’t play last summer in the Tri-State League. We did a little fall baseball but it’s good to be back and hang out with the guys. We’ve (added) a couple young Canton kids and hopefully we will have a good season.”
Dubois hopes this is the year that the Crushers can post a winning record. Three times in six seasons, Canton has won five games including in 2019 when they were 5-13

Burlington, which is playing their entire season on the road because the field at Lewis Mills which they have used since they entered the league isn’t available this year, led 3-0 after four innings. The Hunters were the home team on Sunday.
The Hunters took a 1-0 lead on an RBI single from Joe Cardaropoli . They extended their lead to 3-0 in the fourth inning, helped in part by three walks from Canton starter Jake Bryant, who also hit two Hunter batters and had a balk.
The Crushers cut the lead to one in the top of the fifth inning. Andrew Tremblay and Bryant each singled before Steve Dubois ripped a two-run double to left field to cut the lead to 3-2. After Burlington starting pitcher Ty Morin struck out Jim Spirito for the second out of the inning, Canton’s Sean Bahre ripped a single down the right field line.
Steve Dubois tried to score from second base but Burlington outfielder George Zaruba threw him out at home plate to end the inning.
Burlington added three more runs in the fifth inning to take a 6-2 lead. Ty Ernet had a two-run single to highlight the rally that also included a leadoff double from Morin.
The inning ended on a diving catch by Tremblay in left field on a ball that was an inch or so above the turf when he caught it.

The Crushers added two runs in the seventh inning thanks to a two-out error by the Hunters and a bases-loaded walk from reliever Tyler Mandeville to cut the lead to 6-4. Canton’s Brian Phelps coaxed a two-out walk, moved to second on a single from Spirito and scored on an error. A walk loaded the bases and a walk to Nick Michanczyk forced in the second run.
Canton cut the lead to one run in the eighth inning. Braedon Bean walked with two outs and scored on Bryant’s RBI double to right field.
Ernet closed out the win for the Hunters, earning the save by retiring the side in order in the ninth inning.
Three Burlington pitchers combined to strike out 13 Canton batters with Morin, the starter for the Hunters, striking out nine.
Bryant had a tough fourth inning but he allowed just three hits and struck out six. He did walk five. After reliever Cam Gaudet gave up three runs in one inning, Canton reliever Jim Michanczyk pitched three strong innings of relief, not giving up a hit over the final three innings of the contest.
Steve Dubois was 2-for-2 for Canton with a double, a single and two RBI while Bryant was 2-for-5 with a double and one RBI. Catcher Jeff Mulhall also had two hits for the Crushers.
Canton returns to action on Wednesday night when they travel to Terryville to take on the defending champion Black Sox (1-0) beginning at 5:45 p.m. at the now-closed Terryville High on Route 6.


Amenia Monarchs 10 Winsted Whalers 6

The Monarchs came away from Walker field with a 10-6 win over the Whalers on an early Sunday morning game. Both teams are glad to be back playing baseball and what a better way to start the season off with an old Tri-State rivalry game. The Whalers scored first with an rbi single by Austin Brochu, 2-4 1rbi. Monarchs starter Mackenzie Dunlop would then settle in striking out 9 over 5 innings giving up 1 run on just 2 hits. In the bottom of the 6th Monarchs’spitcher Will Perotti got a little wild in his first appearance walking 4 guys and giving up 3 runs making the score 4-1. Luckily for the ex-gator the Monarch’s were able to score  8 in the top of the 7th and Leshawn Thrasher shut the game out pitching the last 3 innings giving up 2 runs on 3 hits with 5 k’s. Highlights were Monarch’s pitching staff striking out 15 batters and 5 Monarch’s, Argentina, Perotti, Downey, A. Thrasher, and Goodacre, having 2 hits a piece.  For the Whalers Austin Brochu and Chester Warner each had 2 hits.
Side Note: Big Ken Shufelt made his first pinch running appearance of his long historic career!

Twisters 20 Torrington Rebels 9
The Twisters opened their season and Tri-State career with a 20-9 win over the Torrington Rebels at Fuessenich Park. Josh Rubino set the tone on the mound going 5 innings to get the win. The Twisters had a 20 hit attack led by Matt Sokol 4-5, Jake Reynolds 3-4, and DJ Reynolds 3-3. They also received multiple hit games from Bryon Carr, Owen Spino, and Rubino. The attack featured 9 extra base hits. The Rebels got 2 triples from Kyle Leifert and Brandon Pratt chipped in with a couple big knocks as they put runners on base every inning but the 3rd with a pesky attack.

Southington 66ers 9 Valley Ducks 4

The 66ers won the home opener 9-4 over the Ducks in a game both teams were grateful to have after a year long recess. Pat Reymond pitched well for five innings with a no decision and Brenden Cavaco earned the win with 3 innings of relief. Fireballer Mike Fernandes pitched a shutout 9th inning. Vic Desimone (3-4 HR,2B), Matt Hochberg, and Pat Smith added two hits each. Carm Perugini, Ben Hampson, Tyler Fernandes, Nick Y, Dan Heal, and Brenden C all added hits. Ryan Pelletier pitched well for Valley while Jeff Moytas added two hits and Shane Fusco had a long double. The 66ers play again at home against Wolcott on Thursday 5/27.