(Copyright, Sports on CT-69, 2017 file)
Blasius Chevrolet and Valley Thunder faced off on Sunday in a Connecticut Tri-State Baseball League game at Hotchkiss Field in Prospect.
Blasius was 3-1 going into the contest while Valley sat at 3-2. Both teams were coming off of good wins on Thursday evening. Blasius outlasted the Southington 66ers 5-3 in 11 innings while Valley dominated the Canton Crushers by a score of 8-1.
In the win over Southington, Blasius scored three times in the top of the 11th to break a 2-2 tie at Recreation Park. Steve Carosella and Paul Novakowski got on base to start things off, then Jon Conlon, who tied the game in the sixth with a sacrifice fly, drove in Carosella with a single for a 3-2 lead. Justin McCulloch followed with a single, then Eric Rovinetti had an RBI single to score Conlon and make the score 4-2. Blasius got another run in the frame, then gave up one to Southington in the bottom of the 11th hold on for the win.
Of note, 2018 Tri-State Hall of Fame inductee Marc DiDominzio pitched the 10th and 11th innings for the win. He was called out of retirement and did a good job out of the bullpen. Ben Schumacher pitched the first seven innings and struck out 11, then Gary Novakowski threw a scoreless eighth and ninth.
Before Conlon’s sacrifice fly, Lou Serrano got Blasius on the board in the fifth with a solo home run.
Blasius had won three straight games entering Sunday’s contest against Valley. The first win was a 13-4 rout of the Bristol Greeners on May 24. Schumacher was the winning pitcher and Jay LaFontaine cleaned up the final two innings. McCulloch had three hits while Conlon and Paul Novakowski added two each. Blasius had 12 hits in the game.
On June 3, Blasius beat the Tribury Twisters 5-1 behind eight strong innings from Gary Novakowski, who struck out 11. McCulloch hit a solo homer, and Fraz Kader had two hits. Mike Butkovic led Blasius with two RBI.
Valley pounded out 13 hits in its win over Canton, led by a 2-for-3 day from Tyler Pelletier. Pelletier went the distance on the mound for the Thunder and allowed one run on a single hit. He struck out four and walked two.
Valley had won three straight games after starting 0-2. The Thunder started the streak with a 16-6 pounding of the Torrington Rebels on May 31. Matt Meier erupted for five hits, including a two-run homer, and drove in four runs. Meier pitched the first five innings, struck out five and allowed three runs on just two hits. Johnny Griffin had two walks, two runs scored and a stolen base. Nick Forino doubled, walked and drove in three runs while Kyle Daddona singled and drove in two runs.
On Sunday, June 3, Forino and Griffin again led the Valley offense in a 4-2 win over the Burlington Hunters. Danny Perez won his mound debut with six solid innings, and Pelletier pitched the final three for the save.
