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- Category: Past Issues
PUTNAM --- With the All Star Tournament fast approaching, the Junior league rushed to get its last few games in before the deadline. With all the rain lately, there were a fistful of makeup games still to be played. It would be another week with too many games, too few pitchers for Coach Foucault.
June 21 the Woodstock squad visited Murphy Park. After the first inning they may not be invited back anytime soon. Woodstock exploded for 9 runs in the first, sending 14 batters to the plate. Maybe it was the 90 degree heat, maybe it was the 2 errors at second base, but something kept the Putnam team on the field for an extended first inning. Hit after hit, run after run the Putnam spirit was sinking fast. In the bottom of the first, Steven Dakai doubled to score Nick Foucault and was driven in by Kyle Loomis’ double. Loomis later scored on a steal of home. Putnam had managed three runs to start to claw its way back in. Relief pitchers Zack Cutler, Brevon Harmon and Kyle Loomis got Putnam through the rest of the game after an early exit by the starter. Putnam squeaked out three more runs on a double by Jon-Luc Cournoyer, scoring Dakai and Kyle Ciquera. Cournoyer took home on a passed ball for Putnam’s last run. The final score was Woodstock 18, Putnam 6.
On June 23, the last day of the season, Putnam hosted Killingly for a double header. After a tough loss and an early exit in the last game, Josh Allard took the mound determined to dominate the Killingly team. His fast ball had a crackle and pop that was not there in the last matchup. Josh had one strikeout in the first, struck out the side in the second added two more in the third and fourth innings. His 8 K’s led to a two hitter, 10-0 mercy win for Putnam. Nick Foucault went 2 for 3 with two runs scored. Allard helped himself by going 3 for 4, with 2 runs. Kyle Ciquera, Jon-Luc Cournoyer and Kristian Burke all got hits and scored a run.
In the second half of the twin billing, Killingly brought out their ace pitcher to try and salvage a win on the day. Errors at third and shortstop gave Killingly an early advantage and a 4-0 lead after 2 innings. Putnam came back with runs in the 3rd by Ciquera, Cournoyer and Burke.
By the middle of the fourth inning the Killingly team extended their lead 6-4. During the bottom of the fourth, the wheels had come off for Killingly and Putnam scored nine times sending 14 batters to the plate. Ethan Nicol singled and scored. Jay Hassett, Shawn Audet, Kyle Loomis and Nick Foucault all hit singles and scored. Steven Dakai went 2-3 with a double. Steven (3 IP,3k) and Nick Foucault (3 IP,3 K, Win) pitched for Putnam. Ryan Renshaw stole the show going 2-2 with a run scored and some very nifty glove work at first base. The final score was Putnam 14, Killingly 9.
The 2012 Putnam Juniors are: Joshua Allard, Shawn Audet, Kristian Burke, Kyle Ciquera, Jon-Luc Cournoyer, Zack Cutler, Steven Dakai Jr., Nicholas Foucault, Jacob Guertin, Brevon Harmon, Jay Hassett, Kyle Loomis, Ethan Nicol and Ryan Renshaw. They are coached by Joe Loomis, Dexter Cutler and Steven Dakai. The team’s manager is John Foucault. Team members also thanked the Putnam umpire crew of Mike Alexander and Cliff Renshaw for all their time and effort this year.