By Ron P. Coderre

A flurry of action took place last week as local teams were hoping for the victories necessary to propel them into the CIAC postseason.

Two teams, Plainfield and Ellis Tech are definitely in the postseason, as each has easily surpassed the eight victory plateau.  On the other end of the spectrum, Killingly and Putnam can collect the uniforms and equipment as they finished the regular season shy of the magic number of eight wins.  

Tourtellotte Memorial High School and Woodstock Academy are hanging on by a proverbial thread.  Woodstock is in a must win situation, having to win its final game of the season, against a competitive New London team.  Tourtellotte needs one wins in its final two games.  Both teams should be making novenas this week as their chances are slim to none.

Marianapolis reached the championship game of the SENE but lost the title in a competitive contest.  The Golden Knights are awaiting word on whether they move on in the New England’s.  Pomfret School was shutout in its only game of the week. 

Plainfield and Ellis Tech Left Standing

Plainfield solidly in the CIAC picked up a couple wins in the final week of regular season play.  The Panthers opened the week in startling fashion.  After falling behind 12-1 to a very good Montville team, Plainfield rallied to tie the game 13-13 after seven innings.  The final five innings of the game became the David Carpenter show as he pitched the final five innings, striking out six Indians.  In the bottom of the ninth, Carpenter helped his own cause by walloping a walkoff solo home run to cap the victory and pick up the win on the mound.  He had three hits in the game with three RBI while his teammate Jeff Nicolosi had a pair of hits and two runs-batted-in.

Sadly, Montville avenged the win later in the week beating the Panthers 5-4.  Plainfield is 12-7 on the season and 6-4 in the Eastern Connecticut Conference – Medium Division.  Sandwiched between the Montville games, Plainfield strolled past Tourtellotte 17-2.  The Panthers led by Dave Kumiega, Dylan Horn and Carpenter scored at least one run in every inning.

Tourtellotte, which has been finding it difficult to score runs lately lost to Lyman Memorial 8-1.  The Tigers kept their postseason hopes alive with a narrow 5-4 win over Wheeler.  Alex Angelo’s walkoff double proved to be the difference.  Logan Putnam had a two-run homer in support of winning pitcher Jake Dutcher, who went the distance.  

The Tigers continued their improbable run to the postseason with a big 23-3 offensive outburst in beating Windham Tech.  Winning pitcher Alex Angelo received offensive support from his twin brother Hunter who was 2-for-4 and Noah Putnam who was 3-for-4.  Both Angelo and Putnam had three RBI in the win.  The Tigers are 7-11 on the season and 2-8 in the ECC Small.

Ellis Tech played three games and was able to pick up the middle game of the trio of contests.  The Golden Eagles shutout Windham Tech 12-0 behind the strong arm of Chuck Innes who fanned 16 batters in tossing a three hitter.  Saige Louis and Justin Dufault had three hits apiece in support of Innes.  Brett Ravenelle drove in four runs for the winners.  

Early in the week, Woodstock Academy rode the pitching of Evan O’Connor who pitched a 4-0 no-hitter at the Techmen.  O’Connor helped his cause by going 2-for-4 at the plate with a pair of runs-batted-in.  Ellis Tech fell to Wheeler 8-2 in its final game of the week.  The Golden Eagles are 11-8 overall and 9-1 in the Constitution State Conference – East.

Woodstock Academy picked up an 8-7 win over Bacon Academy in a game played in Colchester.  Eric Preston who was 2-for-4 with two RBI connected on a two-out single to drive in what proved to be the winning run in the top of the seventh inning.  David Redfield who was 3-for-4 was the winning pitcher.  In its final game of the week the 7-12 overall and 3-6 ECC – Large Centaurs were trampled 21-1 by East Lyme.

Killingly, which is eliminated from the postseason and finished the regular season at 6-14, split four games in the final week of the season.  The Redmen beat Wheeler 10-1 as Ben Desaulnier and Derek Grzysiewicz powered the offense with home runs.  Drew Daley pitched a one-hitter for the win.

Killingly’s other win was a 3-1 victory over Putnam in a game played at Dodd Stadium in Norwich.  Evan Zanauskas and Nick Morin drove in the key runs.  Daley was strong in relief, striking out four Clippers in two innings.  Nick Foucault was the losing pitcher.  He struck out eight Redmen and drove in the lone Putnam run.  

In its other two contests Killingly lost to New London by scores of 7-2 and 7-6.

Putnam, which is closing out the season in dismal fashion was shutout 4-0 by Norwich Tech in a CSC – East contest and was shutout by Griswold 7-0.  The Clippers are 6-13 on the year and 4-6 in the CSC – East.

Marianapolis opened SENE league championship play by beating St. Thomas More 10-0 in the semifinals.  Dalton Bodreau no-hit the Moremen for the victory.  The Golden Knights fell in the title game losing the championship to Providence Country Day 10-6.  Peter Russo had two hits off the bench for Marianapolis.

Pomfret School was shutout 7-0 by Suffolk Academy in its only game of the week.  Andrew Brown suffered the loss for the Golden Griffins.

 

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