Successful 

week on the 

diamond for 

local entries

By Ron P. Coderre

The schoolboy baseball teams up-and-down the Route 395 corridor enjoyed success on the diamond as the weatherman continues to cooperate.  Many of the local teams have adjusted their schedules, which were decimated by the heavy snow of winter and cold snap of early spring.

As the teams approach the mid-point in the short baseball season, Plainfield, Putnam, Ellis Tech and Killingly all picked up important wins last week.  Tourtellotte at 1-8 continues to struggle, suffering through a 0-2 week.  

Marianapolis Prep put together a short two game winning streak, as the Golden Knights appear to be gelling as the season moves into its second half.

Clipper Bats Come Alive

After opening the week with a disappointing loss to a good Norwich Tech team, the Putnam Clippers rebounded with a pair of big wins highlighted by booming bats.  The Norwich Tech contest held significant importance as both teams are members of the Constitution State Conference – East Division.

Hard working Josh Allard, who was the losing pitcher in the 6-1 defeat, was throwing a strong game, tied 1-1 entering the 5th inning.  He appeared to tire in the late going, yielding a five-run rally to the visitors.  A near spectacular catch by centerfielder Zach Cutler resulted in the continuation of the NT rally.  Cutler, who looked like Mookie Betts, ran a long way but was unable to track down the fly ball that glanced off his glove.

The resilient Clippers, who are 4-5 and 3-2 in the CSC – East, then exploded on offense for a pair of 20 run victories.  The first was a 20-4 manhandling of Windham Tech with winning pitcher Steve Dakai limiting the Techsters to two hits before giving way to the relief corps.  Nick Foucault had a big day at bat with a run producing double and triple.  Jacob Guertin scored four of the Putnam runs and Allard crossed the plate three times in the win.

Putnam then duplicated the effort with an identical 20-4 whiplashing of Grasso Tech.  Foucault, who’s been the mainstay of the Clipper mound corps, went the distance in picking up his first victory of the season, striking out 11 Tech batters.  Guertin had a homerun and three RBI’s, while his teammates, freshman Scott Davagian, Allard and Ryan Whitehouse also each drove home three runs.

Ellis Tech at 6-4 and 4-1 in the CSC – East is enjoying one of its most productive baseball seasons in many moons.  The Techsters dropped Grasso Tech 12-2 and beat Eastern Connecticut Conference foe Tourtellotte 11-7.  Charlie Innes tossed a three hitter in the win over Grasso, while racking up a dozen K’s.  Caleb Deslauriers paced the 10-hit Ellis attack with three hits.

Jared Carignan, a Thompson native, took to the hill against Tourtellotte, picking up the win and striking out nine Tiger batters.  The Techsters closed out the week with a 14-0 shutout over Parish Hill as Innes and Brett Ravenelle combined for a no-hitter.  

Plainfield split a pair of games, easily beating Tourtellotte 12-1 and losing to Montville 4-0 in a game in which they were limited to three hits.  Dave Carpenter picked up his first win of the season in the contest against Tourtellotte.  Carpenter tossed a three-hitter and contributed four hits at the bat.  Catcher Colby Greenhalgh had a pair of hits and Dylan Horn hit the first home run of the season for the 6-3 overall and 1-2 ECC –Medium Division Panthers.

In the final game of the week, the Panthers took the measure of Woodstock 12-5.  Greenhalgh continued his hot hitting going 3-for-4, while Jankowski and Horn each had two hits.  Woodstock falls to 3-8 on the season.

Killingly at 5-4 overall and 0-3 in the ECC – Medium Division beat up on Wheeler, shutting down the Lions 8-0.  Ben Desaulnier and Derek Grzysiewicz each produced two hits in the win.  Waterford turned the tables on the Redmen, beating them 10-1.  The Redmen continued their hot play besting Fitch 5-2 with Desaulnier driving home the winning runs.  Tre Belanger and J.P. Dufault each had two hits for Killingly.

Marianapolis opened its week in fine fashion, shutting out St. Thomas More 10-0 in a contest that went five innings.  Ben Fitzpatrick and Ryan Hourihan combined in tossing the goose egg performance.  Senior Billy Hanrahan picked up a 4-2 win over Portsmouth Abbey, giving up three hits and one run in five innings.  Christian Cutroni had two key hits to pace the offense.

(This week’s wrap-up includes only games played through Friday, May 1.)