The Waterbury Post 1 Senior American Legion baseball team stared down elimination on Tuesday when it played Wilton at Wilton High School.
A fast start is a big key in an all-or-nothing game, and Post 1 got going with four runs in the top of the first inning. Waterbury never looked back and won 5-2 behind 6 1/3 innings pitched from David Colella. Colella picked up the win, then Mike Keating threw the last 2/3 of an inning for the save. Colella threw 104 pitches, then Keating needed just three to end the game.
Post 1 began the first frame with back-to-back hits from Bryant Bonilla and Noah Knappe. Waterbury then took advantage of errors, walks and a passed ball to build the 4-0 lead, according to a story on The Hour website from John Nash.
Post 1 scored its final run in the sixth on a suicide squeeze by Jalen Monroe.
Waterbury joins Bristol Post 2 as local “pod” finalists. Post 1 will have to beat Cheshire twice today to advance from Pod F in the Southern Division “Regional Tournament”. Post 2 needs just one win over RCP Post 105 today to move on from Pod D in the Northern Division “Regional Tournament”.
Oh yeah, and both teams will have to battle the weather, along with their opponents. Bristol has a 90 percent chance of thunderstorms, according to The Weather Channel website. The same goes for Cheshire, where Waterbury would be playing.
Go to the Senior State Tournament page for schedule updates.
