June 10, 2016: On this date, Ray Bartoli and his Wolcott baseball teammates became legends.
Wolcott was down, but not out, in the Class M state championship game against Northwestern Regional at Middletown’s Palmer Field.
The Eagles trailed the Highlanders by a run, but still had their final at bats in the bottom of the seventh inning. Steve Urbanski singled the other way to left field. Matt Warren lined out to right field, and then up stepped Bartoli.
Bartoli got a 1-0 pitch he liked from Vinny Tancreti and launched a ball toward the fence in left center field. Several of the Eagles came hopping out of the dugout right after Bartoli made contact. Those hops quickly turned into sprints to home plate as Bartoli’s hit sailed toward destiny.
When the ball cleared the fence, Bartoli had hit a walk-off, two-run home run, and everyone wearing Eagle red and white erupted in celebration. Wolcott won, 3-2, and captured the first state championship in program history. It was the third title in school history. Boys track and field won a crown in 1969, and softball did it in 1992. On this date, it was baseball’s time to celebrate.
Bartoli had help from his mates on this night. Ike Negretti pitched a complete game and picked up his fifth win of the tournament. Urbanski went 4-for-4, including a solo home run that accounted for the only Wolcott run until Bartoli’s blast.
Here is my story about that game.
And here are links to the stories I wrote after the game:
Wolcott’s state championship baseball team was a team through and through
Wolcott baseball coaching staff works together as one
Two turning points on the way to Wolcott’s first state baseball title
A look at who is gone and who is back for Wolcott baseball in 2017
