(Copyright, Sports on CT-69, file)
Wolcott baseball is looking to get back to the state final for the first time since 2016.
The Eagles are scheduled to play No. 18 Ledyard on Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. at Middletown’s Palmer Field, the site of the greatest moment in program history.
It was at Palmer Field in 2016 where Ray Bartoli’s two-run walk-off homer propelled Wolcott to its first state championship in a 3-2 victory over Northwestern Regional. The Eagles just beat the Highlanders in the second round of this year’s Class M tournament, and after a win over No. 11 Bacon Academy in the quarterfinal round, next up are the Colonels from Ledyard. Wolcott also beat Bacon Academy in the first round in 2016 on the way to the state title.
Ledyard went on the road for its first three straight tournament games and came away with a victory each time out. The Colonels shut out No. 15 Rockville 1-0 in the first round, then upset second-seeded Granby 4-3 in the second round. In the quarterfinal round, Ledyard upended No. 10 Lewis Mills 3-2.
Pitching has been a major key for the Colonels. Ken Turner fired a one-hitter on 82 pitches against Rockville and struck out 11. Cade Walters shut out Granby for the first five innings, though the Bears did score three times in the sixth inning to cut their deficit to 4-3. Walters did get the win, and Pat Bora picked up the final two outs of the game for the save.
Turner and Bora were at it again against Lewis Mills. Turner went the first 5 1/3 innings (2 runs, 5 hits, 5 strikeouts, 3 walks) for the win, and Bora claimed the last 1 2/3 (1 hit) for the save.
Turner was also a big part of the lone run for Ledyard against Rockville. He reached on a fielder’s choice, then stole second base in the top of the fifth inning. James Laconico smacked an RBI single to bring Turner home. Turner also had a hit and a run scored against Granby and Lewis Mills. Laconico was 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored against Lewis Mills.
Walters, the winning pitcher against Granby, was 2-for-3 with a double, an RBI and a run scored.
Wolcott’s pitching was of paramount importance in first and second round wins over No. 30 Ansonia (2-1) and No. 14 Northwestern (3-1). Jack Drewry and Brett Adams were awesome against the Chargers and the Highlanders. Drewry pitched 6 2/3 innings, gave up a single run on four hits, and struck out 13. Adams also pitched 6 2/3 innings in his start, and he gave up one run on three hits to go along with 12 strikeouts. In both wins, Dane Hassan came on to get the final out.
Wolcott’s offense came up big in the quarterfinal win over Bacon Academy. The Eagles had nine hits, including two from Hassan, in the 9-3 victory over the Bobcats. Nick Trager’s sacrifice fly in a six-run sixth inning put Wolcott ahead 4-3. Trey Nastri had a two-run single and Ethan Gillotti added an RBI single in the same inning. Drewry drove in the first Eagle run on a sacrifice fly in the third to make the score 2-1 Bobcats. Wolcott went ahead in the fourth on back-to-back RBI singles from Hassan and Trager.
Note: I went back as far as CIAC tournament brackets have been kept for baseball, which is 1981. Wolcott and Ledyard have not met in a baseball state tournament.
