By Michael Letendre

The Bristol Central baseball team should be in good shape in 2021, returning a strong arm from two years ago – the last time scholastic baseball was played in the state.

Senior Sean Wininger brings back plenty of experience and if the Rams can match a little of that play on the offense end, the locals are going to be in for a good season.

There’s talent all around the horn and here’s a look at Central’s baseball team this year:

BRISTOL CENTRAL BASEBALL

Head coach: Bunty Ray (14th season)

Overall Record: In 13 seasons as the coach of the Bristol Central baseball program, Ray carries an all-time record of 189-95.

2019 season: 10-13 overall. No. 30 Bristol Central won its qualifying Class L game against No. 35 Maloney, 9-6, and then defeated No. 3 Platt Tech, 16-0 in a first round romp. The Rams then lost in second round action at No. 14 East Lyme, 4-1, to end their season.

Losses: Jake Santiago (.421 batting average, 32 hits, 13 RBI), Austin Brown (.361, 30 hits, 13 RBI), Evan Bouchard (.360, 27 hits), Alec DiLoreto (.259, 14 hits), Jaylen Dias (.239, six hits), Peyton Clark (3-1, 2.36 ERA), Gavin Greger (transferred out).

Players to Watch: Sean Wininger (sr, P/OF), Michael Lorenzetti (sr, P/OF), Adam Caron (sr, 1B), Chris Osuch (sr, C), Dillon Hudson (sr, 2B), JT Clark (sr, SS), Roberto Negron-Cruz (sr, 3B/UT), Matt Beaucar (sr, OF), Jacobi Banks (OF), Frank Spirito (so, P/3B), Ryan Ryng (so, C).

2021 Season Outlook: Ray only carries about twelve varsity players this season but the squad has plenty of leadership and chemistry already.

“It’s a talented group of kids,” said Ray of his squad. “They are hardworking kids. How we go will be determined by how emotionally and mentally tough we are. We have parts. We just don’t have the experience.”

“And baseball is a game built on failure. We have to be able to work through mistakes and still see if we can be successful.”

Central returns a couple arms to the mound which should be one of the strengths of the squad this year.

Wininger is back for his senior campaign and will be much improved on the mound.

In nine games over 2019 (eight starts), he went 4-4 overall with a 4.30 ERA over a solid sophomore season.

“Sean Wininger is awesome,” said Ray. “I think Sean is going to have a great year.”

He’s also one of the leaders of the squad and one of the voices the other players respect and respond to.

Add in senior Michael Lorenzetti, all 6-foot-8 of him (at last check), who is an imposing presence on the mound.

He will hit the hill this year with some experience in his back pocket due to plenty of summer league play.

Seniors Roberto Negron-Cruz, Matt Beaucar, and sophomore Frank Spirito round out what should be a very good pitching rotation.

Senior JT Clark is going to be a solid infield presence, moving from second base to shortstop this year.

“JT Clark is one of my best players,” said Ray. “He’s a great kid. I’m shifting him from second to short and there’s a learning curve but JT Clark, he’s really going to be a good player”

Also joining the infield, senior Adam Caron is at first base, senior Chris Osuch will spend time behind the plate at catcher, Dillon Hudson is at second and Roberto Cruz and Spirito can both play over at third base.

The squad batted .296 as a team in 2019 and if Central can generate anything close to that, then the locals will be in good shape.

“We have offense,” said Ray. “We’ve got holes, but I’ve got to fill those in.” 

In the outfield, most of that pitching staff plays out there which is a bit of a work-in-process.

Wininger, Lorenzetti, and Beaucar make up the outfield unit along with Jacobi Banks. 

They all pitch so someone must play the outfield when the rotation calls for it.

Ryan Ryng can play a little in the outfield while he also catches.

“I love this team in terms of their attitude and effort,” said Ray. “They’re just not to use to level of play they are going to see. In summer baseball and where they played baseball, it’s basically play as many games as you can. In a high school season, it’s a twenty-game pressure cooker. And you can’t determine how kids are going to react to that pressure situation when every play is magnified as opposed to ‘let’s make a play and move on to the next one.’”

“That’s what they’re trying to figure out. They work hard but we have to see where we are when things go wrong.”

The numbers might be down at Central but it’s like that all over the city.

However, Ray will roll with his dozen or so players on his roster this season.

“There’s not a lot of kids in the program,” said Ray. “Athletics have suffered in terms of numbers and baseball in Bristol has suffered a little bit. There are fewer kids playing the sport. But the kids I have are quality kids. They’re passionate. They’re into what they’re doing. There’s just a big jump between varsity baseball and the younger levels.”

“It really takes half a season to develop a varsity player and in all the years I’ve done this, that’s pretty much a standard.”

Once the squad starts to find a groove, Central can win its quota of games and if the team catches a couple breaks along the way in 2021, the Rams are poised to post some big victories.

“We might take our lumps early,” said Ray. “But we have tremendous talent.”

Games to watch…Central is on the road until next week when the team opens shop at home against New Britain on Monday, April 19. The Rams play several games at home to end the month of April before squaring off against Bristol Eastern on May 5 and then play against them again on May 24.