By Michael Letendre

BRISTOL – There was a major difference between the Bristol and Tri-County Senior American Legion baseball squads when the two programs battled on Saturday night in a non-zone showdown from Muzzy Field in Bristol.

The Tri-County team was already playing its sixth contest of the season while it was Bristol’s debut gamer.

Post 2 showed glimpses of what could be but the locals fell by a 9-4 final in its 2022 opener.

“This was the fist time in a long time that our first game was an exhibition game which was kind of nice,” said Bristol coach Jerry LaPenta. “You can tell that [Tri-County] played six games. They are in there settled with some good swings. They’re a good club anyway [5-1]. They all play the field well. They swing the bats one-through-nine but I told the guys I’ve got a lot of 19 year old kids that haven’t played in about a year except for a few that played in college. And a few guys weren’t here but I thought in the second half of the game, we played well.”

Post 2 had a three-run sixth and nearly put together a late rally that just fell short.

Bristol’s Ryan Fradette was extremely busy in the first inning of play, making all three putouts in centerfield – sandwiched around a walk from Matt Beaucar – as Bristol quickly came to bat.

With one gone in the top of the first, Roberto Cruz tapped a bloop single to right, stole second, but ended up stranded to end the tilt.

In the second, Tri-County’s Oliver Ross and Dan Orzeck smoked out back-to-back hits before tomfoolery ensued.

Fradette made a fourth straight putout and then Beaucar picked off Ross at second on a slick move and eventual tag by Cruz for the second out.

But Steve Leliberte smoked a double to left to plate Orzech followed by a slicer from RJ Stanford to right as the lead runner scored to make it a 2-0 game.

In the bottom of the second, Beaucar drew a one-out walk, advanced to second on a groundout by Tyler Stickles but Dylan Woodsome flew out to center as the visitors held its 2-0 push.

Bristol’s Alex Canzellarini came in to throw in the third, walking pinch-hitter Luke Pennella to open his stint on the mound, scoring on a Wagner double to make it 3-0.

Canzellarini hit the next two batters and then Orzech came through with a two-base hit – scoring two – as Bristol trailed 5-0 through two-and-a-half innings.

Bristol’s Chris Osuch started the bottom half of the tilt with a full-count walk, advancing to second on a passed ball.

Martin struck out, Tri-County made a pitching change and Cruz was plunked the second he got to the plate – putting two on with two away.

The duo advanced on a wild pitch but Adam Caron bounced out to short to close the frame as it remained a 5-0 game though three.

Tri-County’s Jeremiah Bobbi opened the fourth with a one-out single up the middle but Post 2 got out of the jam as Bristol still trailed by five runs.

Fradette tallied Bristol’s second hit of the game, an infield nubber which the speedster hustled out, and later stole second to get into scoring position.

The runner went to third on a Beaucar ground-out and Fradette scored on Tyler Stickles one-hopper to right as the deficit was chopped to 5-1.

With Tyler Martin on the mound in the fifth, Chase Davidson singled to right and Ross followed with a deep shot to left center as Davidson scored to make it a five run affair again, this time at 6-1.

Bristol’s Bryan Capazzone started the bottom of the stanza with a one-out single and advanced to second via a wild pitch.

But the runner never came home as Tri-County continued to lead by five as the sixth inning commenced.

Tri-County scored three runs in the sixth, highlighted by a run-scoring single from Wagner and a sacrifice fly by Brad D’Amico to made it 9-1.

But Post 2 gave it a whirl in the bottom of the sixth inning – loading the bases up off a sterling double by Fradette, Dillon Hudson was hit by a pitch, and when Beaucar singled, Bristol had something brewing with the bases loaded.

Stickles grounded out to the pitcher and the throw home got Fradette for the second out.

But the ball was thrown away to first – allowing Hudson and Beaucar to score – as the deficit was chopped to 9-3.

“It seems like the last four of five years, our Bristol teams have always shown fight even when we’re down,” said LaPenta. “We always seem to battle back a little bit.”

And one final single from reserve Connor Cyr to left center scored Stickles and going into the seventh, Post 2 trailed 9-4 as the locals were starting to put things together.

“Some of my dual rostered kids got a couple nice hits,” said LaPenta.

Cruz fanned the side in the seventh inning, allowing just one base hit, but the home team needed to score five in a hurry to keep the game alive.

Bristol never quit as Ryan Maglio and Cruz earned back-to-back walks with one away but a 6-4-3 double play ended the game as Bristol dropped the contest by five runs, 9-4.

Post 2 should be in good shape as the season rolls along.

With the first Zone 1 game taking place on Sunday versus Meriden, LaPenta will have Cruz on the hill in a big-time showdown.

“Roberto had a just a light little warmup there. He’s going to start” against Meriden on Sunday said LaPenta. “He looked really good [tonight]. He threw the ball really well.”

Bristol Senior American Legion Baseball – Non-Zone Contest

TRI-COUNTY 9, BRISTOL 4

from Muzzy Field, Bristol

Tri-County (5-1) 023 013 0 – 9 14 1

Bristol (0-1)  000 103 0 – 4 7 0

WP – Josh Person (Tri-County); LP – Matt Beaucar (Bristol)

Tri-County Batting 

2B – Steve Leliberte, Josh Wagner, Dan Orzech, Oliver Ross

3B – None 

HR – None

Bristol Batting 

2B – Ryan Fradette

3B – None

HR – None

Records: Tri-County 5-1 overall; Bristol 0-1

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