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- Category: Past Issues
caption, page 9:
3rd Place
The AAU Cougars took third-place in the recent Potvin Tournament. Courtesy photo.
Cougars
take 3rd
in Potvin
U15 tourney
After winning their first game in the tournament July 31, the Cougars faced Groton Aug. 2 in Mystic. Groton was able to score 13 runs off four different pitchers as they cruised to a 13-1 victory against the Cougars. There were few highlights for the Cougars as they headed into the loser’s bracket.
Things did not start out very well for the Cougars Aug. 3, in Niantic, as they fell behind 5-1 in the third inning to America's game due to some sloppy play defensively. But as they had done July 31, the Cougars came from behind and eventually won the game 8-7 in 10 innings. The game-winning run was scored by Tim Cutler, who led off the 10th with a triple. Cutler scored on a fake squeeze play, which drew an errant throw from the catcher allowing the winning run to score.
Cody Mairiano led the offense with a single and a double. Ben Rumrill knocked in two runs, while Jesse Alexander, Danny Murphy, Will Bourgeois and Cutler had an RBI apiece. The Cougars needed to use their three main pitchers, Bourgeois, Murphy and Rob Newton to get through the 10-inning game, with Murphy collecting the win.
The Cougars played the BTL Tides Aug. 5 in East Lyme, and eventually prevailed 11-10. With a decimated pitching staff, the Cougars needed to use four pitchers to get through the game. Murphy, Jeremy Normandin, Cutler and Bourgeois all pitched for the Cougars. The Tides jumped to an early 6-0 lead against Murphy as the Tides bats seemed unstoppable. By the bottom of the 6th inning, the Cougars found themselves down 9-1.
However, the Cougars, who have been behind in each of the first four games, finally got their offense going again. Mairino led off the sixth inning getting hit by a pitch. On an errant pickoff attempt by the pitcher, MAiriano raced to third and scored on another error to score the second run. After a fly out, Bourgeois laced a double down the right field line. Rumrill followed with a triple in the gap to knock in the third run. Matt Fiedler then grounded out to score Rumrill to make the score 9-4. Ben Ross kept the inning going with a single, which was followed by a double by Newton to plate their fifth run. Cutler singled in Newton and was then knocked in by a double from Murphy to get the Cougars within two runs at 9-7.
The Tides were able to add an insurance run in the seventh keeping the Cougars behind by three. In the bottom of the seventh, Bourgeois lined the first pitch up the middle to start things off. Rumrill and Fiedler followed with singles to load the bases. After a strikeout, Newton singled home a run to get the Cougars back within two runs. After another strikeout, Murphy doubled in two runs to tie the score. Mairiano hit the next pitch to deep left-center to plate the winning run.
This was the third victory for the Cougars in which they scored the winning run in the last inning. It was also the second game that Mairiano picked up the game-winning hit and Bourgeois picked up his second win in the Tournament.
Aug. 6 the Cougars played the Rebels with the winner getting to play at Dodd Stadium for the Championship game. As they had in the previous four games, the Cougars found themselves behind early in the game 3-0. Fiedler started the bottom of the third with a single, followed by a walk to Newton. Cutler then drove a double down the right field line to bring the Cougars within one run. The Rebels promptly scored another run in the fourth to bring the score to 4-2. The Cougars looked to rally late again as Mairiano led off the 6th inning getting hit by the pitch. With one out, Bourgeois drew a walk which was followed by double by Rumrill to right center. The ball was almost caught by the Rebels center fielder which caused Bourgeois to hold up to make sure it dropped in. Mairiano scored and Bourgeois was held at third. The Cougars had runners on second and third with one out but two hard groudouts ended the inning. Murphy, who pitched a complete game, cruised through the seventh inning. The Cougars had one more chance to come back. Newton started the seventh getting hit by a pitch, and with one out, Murphy reached on an error. With Alexander at the plate with two outs, Newton was caught in a run-down and was safe sliding into third, with Murphy taking second base. Things were looking good for the Cougars, but after a discussion with the Rebels coach who argued that Newton slid with his spikes high, the umpires declared Newton out to end the game.
It was a tough way to end the game, and the tournament for the Cougars. Coaches Kyle Aldridge and Mike Bourgeois said they were pleased with the team’s performance in the Potvin Tournament, but were disappointed with the way it ended. Although they are a U14 team, the Cougars showed that they could play competitively against strong U15 teams from southeastern Connecticut, and fair well. The Cougars felt disappointed not to have the chance to play out the inning and possibly come out with another come-back win in the final inning. The Cougars felt ready for a re-match against Groton as ace-pitchers Bourgeois and Newton would have been well rested for the Cougars.