Baseball/Softball Wrapup

Baseball & 

softball 

seasons 

struggle to get

started

By Ron P. Coderre

The high school baseball and softball seasons have finally started for 2016.  The April weather, which resembled normal February temperatures, made it difficult for schools to get outside on the diamond.  The February weather and temperatures experienced by the area this year was more ideal for baseball and softball than the current scenario presented by the weatherman. Despite the upside-down trick by the weatherman, baseball and softball teams finally managed to sneak in a few games. 

Some baseball teams managed to get their seasons started following some postponements and rescheduling.  Killingly opened on a sour note, as the Redmen lost their first two games before eking out a victory.  Putnam split its first two encounters.  Plainfield was able to post a victory.

In softball, the Tourtellotte Memorial High School ladies posted a huge opening-day victory, while Woodstock Academy was shutout by one of the best teams in Connecticut.  Killingly under new coach Lance Leduc did something unusual.  The Redgals won their opener.  Putnam was drubbed by Plainfield in its first game of the season but lost the following day. 

Plainfield Beats Stonington

Plainfield rode the hitting of Keegan Marcoux and Jeff Nicolosi in picking up an opening day 6-2 victory over the Stonington Bears.  Marcoux blasted a home run and drove in two runs, while Nicolosi was 3-for-3 including a double and a run-batted-in.  He was also the winning pitcher tossing six strong innings.

Killingly opened against two of the Eastern Connecticut Conference strongest teams and felt the wrath of both.  The Redmen lost 13-2 to Waterford in its opener.  A Ben Desaulnier two-run round tripper was the lone Killingly highlight of the contest.

Next up for Killingly was Montville on the road.  The Indians prevailed over the Redmen 14-6.  Brian Albee was 3-for-4 for Killingly.  The Redmen finally got into the Win column with a 3-2 squeaker over cross-town rival Ellis Tech.  Killingly posted the win with a come from behind last of the seventh inning rally.  Back-to-back doubles by Evan Zanauskas and Desaulnier provided the fireworks.  Drew Daley was the winning pitcher.  He struck out nine Golden Eagles on his way to the victory.   Killingly is 1-2 overall and 0-2 in the ECC Medium Division.

Putnam got their bells rung by the East Hampton Bellringers in its opener as the visitors invaded the Antique City and shutout the Clippers 9-0 behind the one-hit pitching of Kyle Cutler, who struck out a dozen Putnam batters.  The lone Putnam hit came off the bat of Nicholas Foucault who suffered the loss on the mound.

The Clippers responded with a nifty 3-1 win over Griswold behind the tosses of sophomore Scott Davagian who went the distance for the win.  Foucault, Kyle Loomis and Zack Cutler each drove in a run for the 1-1 Clippers.

Lady Tigers Unleash Brutal Hitting Attack

Tourtellotte opened its season with a 32-2 — that’s correct 32-2 victory — over outmanned Windham Tech in a Constitution State Conference – East contest.  There were a number of hitting heroes for the Lady Tigers.  Carinne Sosnowski had eight-RBI as she basted two dingers.  Grace Denault and Emily Vincent each posted three runs-batted-in for the winners.  Amanda Bogoslofski was the winning pitcher, posting eight strike outs.

Woodstock Academy lost its opener to the Fitch Falcons 10-0.  The game was much closer than the final outcome, as Woodstock trailed Fitch 1-0 into the fifth inning before falling apart.

Killingly, which was 3-17 last season, opened with a satisfying 7-3 win over Plainfield.  Ashley Viellette picked up the win in the circle.  Kara Mayhew and Madison Weaver had good games with the bat and glove for Killingly.  The loss leveled Plainfield’s record at 1-1 as the Lady Panthers were coming off a 22-2 win over Putnam on Friday.  Kat Devolve was 5-for-5 for Plainfield.