Post 19 faces Stamford in Super opener

Mike Sypher, The Chronicle, Willimantic, Conn.
·3 min read

Jul. 23—WILLIMANTIC — Ken Valliere told his Willimantic American Legion ballplayers that they had the potential to play some meaningful games deep into July if only they believed.

Believed in the coaching staff. Believed in each other. Believed in themselves.

That belief translated into a 20-4 regular- season record in Zone 6 play and then a 3- game sweep through the Pod D state tournament party that ended with Post 19 blowing out Rocky Hill-Cromwell-Portland's candles, 10-1, in Wednesday night's championship round at Recreation Park.

With that victory, fresh on the heels of wild 6-5 and 11-10 victories over Tri- County and RCP, respectively, Willimantic ( 23- 4) advanced to the Bristol Super Regional where they will begin play in the 4- team, double- elimination assortment of Pod champions when the locals take on Pod F winner Stamford this morning at 11: 30 a. m. at Muzzy Field.

The winner of this morning's Super Regional opener will face the victor of today's 2 p. m. contest between Pod E champion Greenwich (17-9) and Pod C-winning Waterford (24-3) in a winner's bracket game on Sunday at 4 p. m. following a 1 p. m. elimination game between today's losers.

In the wake of three straight Pod victories claimed after falling behind in each contest, Valliere likes his squad's chances this weekend and beyond due to its pitching, hitting, defense, fight and ... drum roll, please ... it's belief in itself.

" We have shown that we are a never quit, never die ballclub," said Valliere. " I'm always trying to emphasize to my guys that the current at- bat is the biggest at- bat. Can't dwell on past at- bats.

" One good at- bat each and string it together. We always want a fast start and we have not had that lately but we have never quit. Would have been easy to throw in the towel down 8-2 vs. RCP but we didn't. We believed!" The locals believed their way to an 8- all tie to force extra innings in last Sunday's Pod D winner's bracket game, fell behind 10- 8 in the top of the eighth and then made RCP believe with a 3- run rally in the home half of the frame to walk off into the championship round.

Seeded fourth in the overall Super Regional field that includes No. 2 Middletown facing No. 7 Danbury and No. 3 West Haven taking on No. 6 Ellington at Palmer Field in Middletown today, the locals will be facing a fifth- seeded Stamford squad that captured Zone 4 with an 18- 6 record, then swept through Pod F with victories over Glastonbury (5-4) and two more over Westport (5-3 and 10-7).

"These kids should be very proud of what they've accomplished together," said Valliere, whose father, Richard Valliere, teamed up with the likes of John Risley to face Stamford in a pair of state final games in the mid- 1950's.

" And they can accomplish even more together."

You gotta' believe. ...