By Michael Letendre
The Bristol Blues are having an excellent season in the New England Collegiate Baseball League, winning 12 of its first 14 games.
Bristol’s fast start has seen the locals easily scoop up first place in the Western Division.
The Blues are currently 2.5 games over second place Valley Blue Sox (9-6) as of Saturday.
Bristol has been on a hot streak, winning nine straight before posting two straight losses.
Out of Bristol’s first three losses, Valley was responsible for two of those setbacks.
The Keene Swamp Bats defeated Bristol by a 6-3 final on Saturday, June 11, and a 9-4 setback to Vermont on Friday, June 24, was the local’s other losses of the campaign.
But between losses to Keene, Valley, and Vermont — the Blues won those nine games over a multitude of ways.
Seven of those victories were by three runs or less as Bristol has been winning all the close ones to snare the lead in Western Conference play.
The Blues have been playing a great brand of ball this season — highlighted by that recent hot streak, starting with a 7-6 victory over Valley on June 12.
Here are the highlights from Bristol’s recent nine-game winning streak:
June 12 — Bristol Blues 7, Valley Blue Sox 6
All the fun started against the Blue Sox as Bristol notched two runs in the top of the tenth to steal one away from Valley.
Luke Garofalo won out of the bullpen against the Sox, throwing 1.1 innings of two-hit, four-strikeout ball for Bristol.
AJ Gaich’s two-RBI single in the top of the tenth sealed the deal for Bristol.
June 14 — Bristol Blues 5, Valley Blue Sox 2
In the rematch from Muzzy Field, Bristol scored three runs over the first two innings to snare the eventual victory against Valley.
Gaich went 3-for-5 from the dish with two runs scored and an RBI.
John Farley threw three innings out of the bullpen, yielding just three hits, two walks, and an earned run to seize the win.
Bristol’s Peter Philips threw two perfect innings to pick up the save.
June 15 — Bristol Blues 10, Danbury Westerners 8
In a wild game, Chaz Myers was 3-for-5 while Calvin McCall went 2-for-3 with four RBI as Bristol held on to win by two runs.
William Paoli seized the win with two scoreless frames and Garofalo held the fort for the save.
June 16 — Bristol Blues 15, North Shore Navigators 3
Bristol racked up a dozen hits and 15 walks to earn another win.
Ryan Wilson was the hitting star of the day, snatching two doubles, scoring three runs and collecting five RBI while Gaich walked four times and scored three runs.
Carson Kohls started the game for Bristol (5 IP, four hits, six Ks) allowing just three earned runs to snare the victory.
June 17 — Bristol Blues 4, Marthas Vineyard Sharks 0
In a rare shutout, Jackson Vanesko earned the win against the Sharks — throwing five innings of no-hit ball.
Jay Harry went a slick 2-for-2 with a walk while Wilson added a hit and two RBI as Bristol had won five straight.
June 18 — Bristol Blues 5, North Adams SteepleCats 2
A four-run eighth did-in the SteepleCats as Bristol won again from Muzzy Field.
The Blues’ seven-hit attack was led by Cal Parrillo, going 2-of-4 with a run scored, while McCall was 3-of-4 — nabbing a double to go along with two RBI.
Paoli won out of the bullpen, going 1.2 innings, striking out two, walking one and allowing two hits.
June 19 — Bristol Blues 2, Ocean State Waves 1
Bristol scored single runs in the first and eighth frames to stave off the Waves.
Boston Smith tallied two of Bristol’s three hits while Peter Ostensen was strong from the start, going six innings — allowing one hit while striking out four for the victory.
Griffin Arnone grounded into a fielder’s choice for the first run of the game while Cal Parrillo did the same in the eighth to give Bristol a 2-0 edge.
June 21 — Bristol Blues 3, Ocean State Waves 2
In another close one, the Blues trailed 2-0 but scored two runs in the seventh and another in the eighth as the Blues came from behind to win.
And it was all Myers in the eighth as his pinch-hit solo home run ended up making all the difference in the showdown.
That hit made a winner out of Michael Thomas Morrissey (1.2 IP, 0 ER) while Thomas Benincaso earned the save over his 1.1 innings on the hill.
June 22 — Bristol Blues 4, North Adams SteepleCats 1
The Blues three run sixth helped the locals snare a win from Joe Wolfe Field.
Myers went a slick 3-of-3 from the dish with a double and two RBI.
Colin McVeigh (4.2 IP, five hits, eight Ks), pitching very well this season, earned a tough no-decision as Paoli (1.1 IP, one hit) took home the win for the Blues as the program won its nine straight game.
But that streak was snapped on Thursday as Bristol fell to Valley by a 5-3 final.
Boston and Matt Smith each went 2-of-4 from the plate to lead the Blues’ offensive attack.
Kohls lasted just two innings over the losing effort as Bristol fell to 12-3 on the campaign.
Bristol lost its first three games by a total of nine runs.
NOTES…On Friday, June 24, Bristol lost for the fourth time — dropping a tough 9-4 decision to the Vermont Mountaineers (15-1). Trevor Austin led the Blues at the plate (2-for-3, two RBI).
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