The top seeds in the Connecticut Tri-State Baseball League playoffs won their first round series openers on Saturday.
Three were blowouts and one was a nail-biter. Here are the scores and what happened:
NO. 1 BETHLEHEM PLOWBOYS 11, NO. 9 WOLCOTT SCRAPPERS 1
Series: 1-0, Bethlehem
Game 2: Today, 5 p.m., Tary Scott Memorial Field (WHS)
What happened: Jarrett Michaels (two doubles, one single) and Isaiah Johnson each had three RBI to pace the Plowboy offense in support of Ty Boisvert (7 IP, 1 R, 10 K) at Gallop Field. Greg Campbell and Brice Waldron (two walks) each had two hits. Brett Wilkes threw a pair of scoreless innings in relief of Boisvert. Boisvert struck out back-to-back hitters to escape a bases loaded jam in what was the biggest Scrapper threat of the game. A.J. Martinez accounted for the lone Wolcott run with a solo home run.
NO. 2 TRI-TOWN TROJANS 9, NO. 7 WINSTED WHALERS
Series: 1-0, Tri-Town
Game 2: Today, 10 a.m., Walker Field in Winsted
What happened: The Trojans got eight innings of two-hit ball from ace Miles Scribner in their rout of the Whalers at Community Field in Litchfield. Scribner got plenty of support on offense from Tom Troy (4 for 4, three runs, two RBI), Joey Weed (double, two RBI) and Jon McNelis (two hits).
NO. 3 BURLINGTON HUNTERS 2, NO. 6 CT SLIDERS 1
Series: 1-0, Burlington
Game 2: Today, 1 p.m., Lewis Mills HS in Burlington
What happened: A terrific pitchers’ duel for seven innings between starters Ty Morin of the Hunters (1 run, 4 hits) and Henry Marino of the Sliders (2 runs, 7 hits, 7 strikeouts). Taylor Donofrio threw two scoreless innings to pick up the save. Pat Raymond’s fielder’s choice plated Josh Dobratz (single) with the first run of the game in the first for the CT Sliders. Burlington answered with George Zaruba’s RBI single, which scored Chad Lavelle. Sean O’Donnell’s run scored on a wild pitch in the third was the difference in the game.
NO. 4 VALLEY DUCKS 12, NO. 5 AMENIA MONARCHS
Series: 1-0, Valley
Game 2: Today, 1 p.m., Doc Bartlett Field in Amenia
What happened: Tino Ciarlo hammered a grand slam, and Kyle Daddona tallied a homer and a double in an offensive explosion for the Ducks at WHS. Alex Mentone had a multi-hit day, as did winning pitcher Chris Oliwa (double). Oliwa threw seven innings of two-run ball that included 10 strikeouts. Ty Pelletier closed the game with back-to-back strikeouts.
