Bristol Knights can clinch CTL Central Division as early as tonight

The perennial Connecticut Twilight League contender Bristol Knights can wrap up another division title tonight.
Bristol’s magic number to clinch the Central Division crown is two games, and the Knights play a doubleheader tonight at Muzzy Field. The first game is at 6 p.m. against the Wethersfield Dodgers, the second at 8 p.m. against the Willimantic Ridges.
Bristol is 15-5-2 and leads the defending champion Elmer’s Silver Bullets (11-7-2) by three games in the division. Elmer’s is the only team capable of catching Bristol. At stake is not only the division title, but a first round bye in the CTL Playoffs, which start Aug. 7. The Silver Bullets play more games (5-3) than the Knights in the last week, but Bristol just needs two for the division.
The undermanned Knights lost 3-1 to Elmer’s last Friday in Newington. It was just the second loss in the past 10 games for Bristol, which has gone 6-2-2 in that stretch. 
When the Knights are going well, it’s usually the pitching staff that’s leading the way. Earl Oakes, Chris McGrath and Mike Castellani have been stalwarts in the starting rotation. Marco Ross, Tyler Favreau and Nick DiTaranto have also appeared on the mound in recent games.
Bristol has also shown that it can score a bunch of runs, highlighted recently by a 10-2 win over the East Hartford Angels on July 25 in East Hartford. Neil Kelley had four RBI, three of which scored on his three-run home run. Kelley also walked twice and scored twice. Kyle Lentini doubled, singled, drove in a run and scored twice while Rick Barrett had a double and two RBI. 
In a 6-2 win over Elmer’s on July 20, Lentini was joined by Tyler Favreau and Tyler Pina in the offensive attack. Lentini had two hits, a walk, a run scored and a stolen base. Favreau added two hits, two runs, a walk and a stolen base while Pina doubled, drove in a run and scored another.
There’s a lot of baseball left in this final week of the regular season, but don’t be surprised if the Knights come out of it with another division title and good playoff position.