Baseball: Bolton's Werhle throws one-hitter

May 19—Though the losses added up for the Bolton High baseball team over the last seven weeks, its energy and effort never diminished.

The Bulldogs were rewarded Wednesday.

Junior Jack Werhle pitched 6Ï innings of no-hit ball — finishing with a one-hitter — as Bolton held off East Windsor 2-1 for its first win of the season in NCCC action at East Windsor High.

"It was the best bus ride home of the season, obviously," Bolton coach Adam Jodoin said. "There have been some long ones. But the kids were in a great mood and just relieved to get that win. They were loose and it was great atmosphere.

"It's hard to lose that many games and it's tough on our seniors. We have eight of them and to go until two games are left and not win is obviously really hard. But they never gave up and our seniors have done a great job of keeping their teammates motivated and working hard."

The win was the first for the Bulldogs (1-18) since beating Windham Tech on May 21, 2021. They broke a 15-game losing streak to start the season a year ago by beating East Windsor.

Werhle walked one and struck out nine in his complete-game effort. It was the first time Bolton has held an opponent to fewer than eight runs this season.

"Jack threw strikes," Jodoin said. "He's always had a live arm but didn't have much of an off-speed pitch to go with it. But he's been developing a breaking pitch and today he pounded the zone. And he worked at a great pace."

The Bulldogs took a lead in the first inning as Justin Decker led off with a double and scored on a single by Cal Bulley. They made it 2-0 in the sixth when Bulley scored on a passed ball.

Shane Ritchie broke up the no-hit bid with a one-out double in the seventh. Werhle then got the second out but an overthrow on a ground ball allowed Ritchie to score and put the tying run at second base.

"I almost died," Jodoin said with a laugh.

But the Panthers (6-12) stranded the runner as Werhle got a pop-up back to the mound to end it.

Bulley finished 2-for-2 and also drew a walk. First baseman Matt Godek was a defensive standout at first base.

Matt Blachuta was the hard-luck losing pitcher for East Windsor. He allowed three hits with one walk and nine strikeouts.

Bolton closes out its season Monday when it hosts MLC. The Panthers entertain MLC for Senior Day Friday then visit Weaver Monday. East Windsor needs to win both to assure itself a spot in the Class S state tournament.

SUFFIELD 9, EAST GRANBY 1. Sam Beaudoin pitched a shutout Monday against East Granby to send Suffield into the postseason. On Wednesday, the junior did his damage against the Crusaders at the plate as he went 3-for-3, scored three runs, and drove in two in an NCCC home win at Kulas Field.

Austin Dultz added two hits with a triple and five RBIs for the Wildcats (9-8), who have won 8-of-11 since a 1-5 start. Suffield scored five runs in the first inning. Winning pitcher Nick Gomes struck out four in four shutout innings with Matt Sinofsky fanning five over the final three innings.

East Granby (10-8) was held to three hits.

Suffield entertains the University/Classical co-op for a non-league game on Saturday.

SOUTHINGTON 7, EAST CATHOLIC 3. Southington jumped out to a 6-0 lead and held on to beat East Catholic in CCC interdivisional play at Penders Field in Manchester.

Brady Aylward, who hit the game-winning home run in the Blue Knights' win over No. 3 Windsor Tuesday, hit a two-run homer in the first inning Wednesday to open the scoring. Emanuele Izzo's two-run single made it 4-0 in the second and a two-run fourth made it 6-0.

Alex Irizarry's RBI single got East Catholic on the board but Frank Boutot responded for Southington with a solo home run in the fifth. Nate Grzybowski walked and scored on a double play in the bottom of the fifth and Ethan Rainha had an RBI double in the seventh but the Eagles came up short in dropping their ninth straight. Southington (16-2) has won 12 in a row. Connor Whitehead was the winning pitcher.

East Catholic (7-10) concludes its regular season Monday at Rotary Field against South Windsor. The reigning Class M state champions must win to be assured a spot in the Class S tournament. If the Eagles lose, their destiny is with the rest of the state. Twenty-six teams have qualified in Class S. If 32 teams do not have the required .400 winning percentage, the CIAC fills out each bracket to 32 teams. Ten teams, including East Catholic, are mathematically alive to reach the .400 threshold.

TOLLAND 6, ROCKY HILL 2. Nathan Bowes shut down Rocky Hill after allowing two first-inning unearned runs as Tolland made it four straight wins in CCC interdivisional action in Rocky Hill.

Bowes struck out 10 before hitting the pitch limit with two outs in the seventh inning. Reliever Joey Keane walked the first batter he faced before getting a ground out to end it. Tolland has allowed only four runs in its four-game winning streak.

The Eagles (12-5) took a 4-2 lead in the second as Bowes connected for a three-run homer. Adam Pivacek had three hits and Owen Nivision two hits for Tolland.

Ben Centurelli took the loss for Rocky Hill (12-6), throwing 5Ï innings.

Tolland is at No. 3 Windsor Saturday then entertains E.O. Smith with the opportunity of winning the CCC East title outright Monday.

MANCHESTER 5, FARMINGTON 2. Dennis Flores improved his record to 3-0 with a complete-game effort in Manchester's CCC interdivisional win at Tunxis Mead Field in Farmington.

Dylan Jackson had two doubles and three RBIs for the Red Hawks (15-4), who have won five of their last six. Eli Briscoe and PJ Ortiz also drove in runs.

Farmington is 5-12.

Manchester goes to McKenna Field Monday to take on East Hartford in its regular-season finale.

WINDSOR 12, ENFIELD 6. Jordan Lattimer doubled and hit a three-run homer as host and No. 3 Windsor bounced back from its first loss with a CCC interdivisional win at Barry Chasen Ballpark.

The Warriors (16-1) built an 8-0 lead through four innings before holding off a charge by Enfield (8-8). Breon Parker had three hits and scored three runs for Windsor. Brandon Cosgrove and Ryan Cramer had two hits each. Nate Acabchuk was the winning pitcher as he allowed two runs over five innings and struck out four.

Windsor entertains Tolland Saturday. Enfield hosts Civic Leadership today for a doubleheader at Bob Bromage Field at Powder Hollow.

RHAM 8, PLAINVILLE 5. A four-run sixth inning gave RHAM the lead for good and it went on to capture the CCC interdivisional win in Hebron.

With the score tied at 4, Max Nylan started the Raptors' rally with a leadoff walk. He stole second and was bunted to third by Garrett Nicol. A successful suicide squeeze bunt by Chase Melzen gave RHAM (13-4) the lead.

Brad D'Amico walked and Mike Poncini singled to keep the inning going. Sean Connolly then singled to and an error by the Plainville right fielder allowed both runners to score. Connolly came home on a Fayz Baig single to make it 8-4.

Plainville (5-13) got one back in the seventh but it wasn't enough.

RHAM entertains Plainfield in a non-league game on Saturday.

NEWINGTON 12, GLASTONBURY 7. Shawn Callahan singled, doubled, and tripled and drove in four runs as Newington recorded a CCC interdivisional win at Riverfront Park in Glastonbury.

Nick Kelley added a double and triple for Newington (14-3).

Glastonbury (12-6), which trailed 9-0, has dropped two in a row since a five-game winning streak.

The Guardians host New Britain Friday.

PLATT 4, SOUTH WINDSOR 2. Brandon Cahill fired six innings of five-hit ball as Platt posted the CCC interdivisional win in Meriden.

Tucker Sperry had a two-run single for the Panthers (14-4). South Windsor is 3-14 and hosts Wethersfield Friday.

BOYS VOLLEYBALL

ENFIELD 3, CONARD 1. Evan Murphy had 27 assists and eight digs as Enfield picked up a CCC interdivisional win in West Hartford Wednesday. Game scores were 25-13, 25-20, 17-25, 25-17.

Drew Rancourt (22 kills, 9 digs, 2 aces) and Jacob Girard (9 kills, 3 digs) also starred for the Eagles (14-3), who wrap up the regular season at home today against Rockville.

GLASTONBURY 3, HALL 0. Glastonbury remained unbeaten as it swept visiting Hall in CCC interdivisional action. Game scores were 25-9, 25-18, 25-16.

Zach Kridler (4 kills, 2 digs) and Jack Niland (5 digs) were standouts for the Guardians (16-0), who are at Wethersfield Friday then close the regular season at home against South Windsor Monday.

Hall is 7-10.