A.J. Martinez and Alex James each did their part to help the Wolcott Scrappers tie their Connecticut Tri-State Baseball League first round playoff series Monday against the top-seeded Bethlehem Plowboys.
A day after Mother Nature postponed Game 2 of the Connecticut Tri-State Baseball League first round playoff series between the Bethlehem Plowboys and Wolcott Scrappers, the teams hooked up in a thriller on Monday evening at Wolcott High’s Tary Scott Memorial Field.
There were home runs and other big moments in the game, which No. 9 Wolcott won in walk-off fashion, 8-7, to even its best-of-three series with No. 1 Bethlehem. Both teams looked to have victory secured, only to see it get snatched away. For the Scrappers, all that mattered was they were the final team to score.
Jon Diogostine, who played at Holy Cross High, blasted a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to give Wolcott a 5-3 lead. The drama was far from over.
Still trailing 5-3 in the top of the ninth inning, Bethlehem scored four times to grab a 7-5 lead. Former Lewis Mills player Brice Waldron got the Plowboys going with a solo home run. Bethlehem tied the game, 5-5, then former Wolcott High standout catcher Chase Belisle stroked a two-run double for a 7-5 advantage.
It appeared that Belisle was going to come up with the biggest hit of the evening at his former high school field, but the Scrappers made a final stand. Singles by A.J. Martinez, Devin Fuegen and Josh Dunne, all members of the 2023 Class M state runner-up Eagles, got the Scrappers to within 7-6. Alex James dropped a terrific bunt to load the bases for Joe Dunne, who carried a tough 0 for 4 evening to the plate. With one swing, Joe Dunne became the hero as his two-run single scored Devin Fuegen and Joe’s brother Josh Dunne with the tying and winning runs.
Heroes were aplenty for the Scrappers. Fuegen and Dillon Fernandes each had three hits, James added two hits, and Diogostine tallied two hits and three RBI. For the Plowboys, Waldron had a double to go with his home run while Matt Mancini recorded two hits and three RBI.
The teams are scheduled to play Game 3 this evening at 5:30 at Gallop Field in Bethlehem, weather permitting. There is a chance of showers and thunderstorms, according to the National Weather Service.
OTHER RESULTS
No. 4 Valley 2, No. 5 Amenia 1: The Ducks held on for the win and swept their series against the Monarchs in the continuation of a game suspended on Sunday. The completion of the game was played at Waterbury’s Municipal Stadium.
Valley used three pitchers over the two days – Jacobi Bouchard, Kyle Daddona and Stan Wolpiuk III to claim the victory. Daddona scored both runs.
No. 3 Burlington 13, No. 6 CT Sliders 5: In the continuation of a game suspended on Sunday, the Hunters put away the Sliders and swept their series. That game was also completed at Municipal Stadium.
No. 2 Tri-Town 12, No. 7 Winsted 4: The Trojans turned the offensive tables on the Whale and pulled away for the Game 3 win at Litchfield’s Community Field.
Winsted had won the previous game, 11-6, on Sunday at Walker Field in Winsted. Tri-Town has had issues getting the big hit at points this season, but the bats were locked in on Monday.
