Consecutive losses eliminate Willimantic from Super Regional
Jul. 25—BRISTOL — Willimantic was eliminated from the Bristol Regional of the American Legion state tournament Super Regionals on Sunday following a 6-3 loss to Greenwich at Muzzy Field.
Trailing 6- 0, Willimantic ( 22- 6) scored all of its runs in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Gavin Covell was hit by a pitch leading off the frame before Jacob Wojtkowiak and Matt Lafountain each singled to load the bases with no outs.
Nolan Klimkiewicz lofted a sacrifice fly to plate Covell, Wojtkowiak came home when A. J. Rooks reached on an infield error with two outs and Justin Decker added an RBI single to cut the deficit in half.
Greenwich scored all of its runs after two outs with Nathan Jones providing a big blow with a 2-run single in the top of the fourth when the Cannons scored three times to build their 6- run lead.
Felipe Echeto ( 2 hits) also had an RBI single in a 2-run second inning while winning pitcher Zachary Alza went the distance on the mound, striking out six batters and issuing just one walk while allowing seven hits.
Klimkiewicz threw the final 5 i/ innings in relief for Willimantic.
On Saturday, Stamford scored three times in the top of the sixth to break a 1- all deadlock en route to a 5- 1 victory over Willimantic.
Post 19 loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the first and scored one run.
Parker Woodmansee led off with a double before Jack Valliere and Covell drew back- to- back walks.
After a strikeout, Klimkiewicz was hit by a pitch, scoring Woodmansee to give Willimantic a 1- 0 lead before Stamford starter Aidan Nestor avoided further damage with a pair of strikeouts to end the inning.
In the top of the second, Stamford tied it at 1- all with an RBI single by Nicholas Montagnese and the game remained deadlocked until the sixth after Stamford loaded the bases with no outs on a single, infield error and hit batsman.
Willimantic induced a grounder back to the mound as Lafountain threw to the plate for the first out.
Stamford broke the tie when Jonathan Decker followed with a 2- run single to make it 3- 1 and Montagnese added a sacrifice fly to center that scored Wyatt Lisack for the third run of the inning and a 4- 1 lead.
Stamford padded its lead with a run in the top of the seventh before Pat Brennan led off the bottom of the frame with a double for Willimantic.
However, Brennan was stranded as reliever Brett Mayer got two infield pops and a strikeout to end the game.
Nestor struck out eight batters, walked four and allowed two hits over six innings to pick up the win.
Greenwich will face Stamford tonight at 6: 30 p. m. at Muzzy Field with the winner advancing to face No. 1 seed Waterford in the championship round on Tuesday.
Waterford needs one win to advance to the best- of- 3 state championship series after a pair of 2-1 victories over Greenwich and Stamford over the weekend.
JUNIOR LEGION
Chase Massey, who will be a senior at RHAM High in the fall, threw a complete- game 4- hitter with six strikeouts as Tri-County defeated Simsbury, 4- 1, Sunday at Memorial Field to force a decisive game in Pod B of the Northern Division Regional of the 17- U state tournament.
Gavin Santillo had two hits and three RBI for Tri- County, which faces Simsbury tonight at 7 p.m. at Memorial Field with the winner advancing to the Super Regionals beginning on Tuesday either at Nevers Field in South Windsor or Palmer Field in Middletown.
