American Legion Wrap-up

Postseason

hopes vanish 

for local 

American 

Legion entries

By Ron P. Coderre

All that’s left for the Danielson, Moosup and TriTown American Legion baseball teams this season is playing for pride.  All three local entries are playing out the string, as the saying goes, with the final week of play looming.

TriTown went through a 2-5 week and stands at 7-16 on the season with four games remaining.  Danielson posted a 3-3 week and has the most games remaining.  Danielson is at 9-13 with seven games left to play.  Moosup had a 2-3 week and is 8-16 with three games left on the schedule.

Even if they win out, which is unlikely, Moosup and TriTown will fall below the .500 level on the 2015 season.  Danielson would need to win four of its final five games to break the .500 mark.

TriTown Takes 2-of-3 from Moosup

After dropping its opening game of the week to first place Niantic 9-5, TriTown rebounded by taking two games from Moosup in its three-game series.

In typical Moosup-TriTown competition the two teams waged heroic battles in their three-game series.  The first game went 11 innings over a two-day span before it was decided.  In the continuation of the game that was halted at 4-4 after 10 innings, TriTown emerged victorious 7-4.  The Towners won the suspended contest when Joe Donovan’s sacrifice fly drove in what proved to be the winning run.  

Benny Brissette (three hits) and Kyle Tyler and Josh Allard with two hits apiece accounted for seven of TriTown’s 11 hits in the win.  Tyler and Alex Angelo split the pitching duties for the winners with Angelo getting credit for the victory.

Despite getting only three hits in the second game, TriTown rode the strong arm of Nicholas Foucault to a 2-1 victory.  Foucault had relief help from Jared Durand who closed out the contest.  Jared Carignan and J.P. Bergeron were responsible for driving in the two Towner runs.

Moosup’s Mike Esposito outdueled TriTown’s Ryan Gadoury in the final game of the set 3-2.  Esposito struck out eight batters in his route-going performance.  Tyler and Bergeron each had two hits for TriTown.

TriTown closed out the week losing a doubleheader to Willimantic.  They lost the first game 11-9 and the nightcap 4-1.  The first game was a seesaw affair with TriTown blasting 14 hits but unable to connect in run-scoring opportunities.  Bergeron had three runs batted in the loss.  The Towners outhit Willimantic in the second contest also but three errors were their undoing.  Durand was the hard luck loser.  In a Sunday matinee, Willimantic once again won a slugfest, this time by a score of 10-9.  The game featured 33 hits, 16 by TriTown and 17 by Willimantic.

Moosup entertained New London in its other two games of the week and split a twinbill.  David Carpenter was solid in the opener as he led Post #91 to a hard earned 3-2 win over the Whaling City crew.  Izaiah Thompson and Anthony Leo each had two hits for the winners.

New London, which occupies second place in Zone VI, came back with offensive vengeance in the second game, rolling over the hosts 16-4.

Danielson Has Disappointing Week

Danielson opened its week losing to Ledyard-Pawcatuck 12-2.  Post #21 rebounded by taking 2-of-3 from a good Jewett City team that’s in fourth place in the Zone and appears headed to the postseason.

In the opener of the series, Danielson rallied for three runs in the top of the seventh inning to put the game on ice, winning 7-5.  In a doubleheader in Danielson, the hosts were gracious to visiting Jewett City losing the opener 4-0.  All JC’s run came in a fourth inning outburst.  In the second game Danielson pulled out a 4-2 victory thanks to Derek Grzysiewicz who scored two runs.

Danielson split a doubleheader with Waterford on Saturday before departing to Keene, N.H., for the championship game of the Keene American Legion Tournament.  The Recs from Danielson came away with a victory and the championship trophy.