(Copyright, Sports on CT-69, file)
A pair of former Bristol scholastic standouts played a big role in the first Connecticut Collegiate Baseball League championship won by the Simsbury SaberCats.
Too much rain changed the best-of-three championship series to a one-game battle between Simsbury and the Wallingford Silver Storm on Friday. The teams agreed to the format because several players were due to leave their respective teams, according to a story by Gerry deSimas Jr. of the Collinsville Press.
Simsbury had the six-team league’s worst record, but all six make the CCBL Playoffs. The SaberCats won their first game against the Manchester Mavericks, then upset the top-seeded Glastonbury Arrows in a best-of-three series, winning two games to one. The Wallingford Silver Storm swept the Southington Shock to reach the final.
(Copyright, Sports on CT-69, file)
Chadd Richardson, who played for St. Paul and the Bristol Senior American Legion teams, got Simsbury going with a two-run double in the top of the first inning. Those two runs were all a pair of SaberCat pitchers needed to beat the Silver Storm. The second of those two pitchers was Noah Cruz, who played for Bristol Central and Post 2 Senior Legion.
After a strong five-inning start from Andrew Fogarty, Cruz came on in the sixth. He struck out three batters, didn’t allow a hit, and closed out the first championship for the Simsbury SaberCats.
The league, which began in 2009, is for 18-25 year-old Connecticut natives.
Three former Bristol scholastic standouts have been named to the CCBL All-Star team in previous seasons. Former St. Paul standout Jake Kawiecki made it in 2017 as a member of the Simsbury SaberCats. Bret Clark of Bristol Central was an all-star in 2012 with the Southington Shock, and former Bristol Eastern standout Steve Clout made it in 2011, also with the Shock.
