By Ron P. Coderre

The Plainfield Panthers picked up two more wins last week, improving to 9-0 overall and 3-0 in the Eastern Connecticut Conference Medium Division.  The Panther juggernaut continues to roll regardless of the opponent and will be difficult to beat because they have three ingredients necessary to win – hitting, pitching and defense.

‘Mr. Everything’ Mike Esposito 

Shines for Plainfield

Plainfield picked up a pair of relatively easy wins last week rolling over Wheeler 22-0 and running past Bacon Academy 10-3.  Mike Esposito raised his pitching record to 4-0 in the win over Bacon.  Esposito tossed a nifty complete game five-hitter at the Bobcats with 10 strikeouts.  He also paced the Panthers offense with a 3-for-4 performance at the plate, including a double and three runs-batted-in.  Jordan Federer contributed three hits in the victory and Garet Griffin scored three runs.

Earlier in the week Kyle Boarman tossed a bagel at Wheeler allowing only three hits in his shutout performance.  Griffin and Steve Jankowski each had a pair of doubles in support of Boarman.

Ellis Tech despite only being 4-6 and 3-3 in the Constitution State conference is proving to be a solid baseball club this spring.  The Eagles went 1-1 last week, beating a tough Prince Tech team 3-1 and losing 4-0 when they were shutout by Norwich Tech.  Charlie Innes threw a complete game two-hitter in the win.  A pair of North Grosvenordale products Jared Durand and Jared Carignan was instrumental in the victory.  Durand’s single proved to be the game winning RBI, while Carignan chipped in a double to the win.  Despite producing nine hits in the loss to Norwich Tech the Eagles were unable to produce in the clutch.

Tourtellotte faced Medium Division Montville, one of the best teams in Eastern Connecticut and was shutout 10-0.  The Tigers bounced back for an 8-1 win over Parish Hill as Alex Angelo tossed an efficient three-hitter at the Pirates.  Unable to stand prosperity, the Tigers were whipped by Windham 15-2 as they dropped to 3-7 on the season and 1-3 in the ECC Small Division.

Killingly, Woodstock Academy and Putnam all took the collar, going a combined 0-5 for the week.  The Redmen lost to Lyman 6-0 and were beaten by Norwich Free Academy 8-4, falling to 2-6 overall.  Woodstock relinquished a 5-1 lead to Bacon, allowing the Bobcats to score in the home half of the seventh inning for a 6-5 win over the frustrated Centaurs.  Kolby Reggione had a home run in the loss.  The Centaurs hung around against Montville but eventually succumbed to the Indians 7-2, leaving them below .500 at 4-5 overall.  The Putnam Clippers, who were riding high, fell back to earth when they were beaten 17-0 by Cheney Tech.  The Clippers are 5-3 overall and 5-2 in the CSC East.   

Putnam Science Academy and its neophyte baseball program split a pair of games with The Learning Clinic.  The Mustangs won the opener in a slugfest 18-17 as Muhammed Koc staggered to the win going the distance.  Jordan Butler (4-5 & three RBI) drove in the winning run with a single in the sixth inning.  In the second contest TLC prevailed 10-4 as the rubber-armed Koc again went the distance for the Mustangs.  PSA is 1-2 overall on the season.

RPC’s Super Standings

Plainfield 9-0; Putnam 5-3; Woodstock Academy 4-5; Ellis Tech 4-6; Pomfret School 3-1; Tourtellotte 3-7; Marianapolis 2-2; Killingly 2-7; PSA 1-2.

 

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