By Michael Letendre

BRISTOL – After the Bristol Senior American Legion baseball program eliminated Enfield over a wild 8-7 final in Northern Division, Pod C postseason play on Tuesday evening, Post 2 earned a chance to compete for a berth at the Connecticut Super Regionals.

The victory propelled Bristol to the final day of pod play and now must defeat top-seeded Waterford twice on Wednesday to qualify for the Super Regionals.

Game one is slated for 5:30 p.m. from Waterford High School.

If Bristol can hang a loss on Waterford (23-3), a second game will take place about 45 minutes after the completion of the first in a winner-take-all Pod C finale.

And Post 2 will give its best shot against Waterford as pitcher Dylan Woodsome, the winner in relief against Enfield from Muzzy Field, staying under the pitch count for a mandatory day of rest.

The chucker has won three games this season and will be looking for another victory against one of the best teams in Connecticut.

And everything had to go right in the top of the eighth frame against Enfield in a 7-7 tie for Woodsome in order for him to be eligible to throw against Watertown.

“In the top of the eighth, he had ten pitches” left said Bristol coach Jerry LaPenta of Woodsome against Enfield. “I had no one left to pitch [against Waterford]. I had to save him for [Wednesday] and he gets out of the inning in eight pitches so he’ll start against Waterford.”

“It’s unbelievable.” 

Woodsome allowed a singe hit in the eighth – throwing just two balls and six strikes to earn a shot at Waterford on Wednesday.

He ended up throwing total 29 pitches to keep his eligibility for the showdown at Watertown.

By Michael Letendre

WATERFORD – Post 2 had the tying run at the plate during the seventh and final inning of in its Connecticut American Senior Legion baseball Pod C state tournament game against top seeded Waterford on Wednesday evening.

Trailing by six runs late, Bristol closed the gap to two before running out of innings as the locals were eliminated by a 7-5 final in Waterford. 

“They fought to the end,” said Bristol coach Jerry LaPenta of his squad. “That’s what the team’s done all year.”

Post 161 moved to 24-3 on the season and advanced to the Super Regional starting on Saturday from Muzzy Field.

Bristol ended the year at 12-9, going 2-2 over the playoffs.

Post 2 turned to Dylan Woodsome on the hill (4.1 IP, 10 hits) who fended off challenges over every frame.

He kept Waterford off balanced, allowing single runs in the first and third stanzas that helped Bristol hang around – trailing just 2-1.

And in the fourth, Woodsome was well on his way to a 1-2-3 inning but the chucker dropped a Tony Martinez pop-up on the mound as the home team turned that second chance into three runs. 

“On the way down, I said if Woody can give us five innings and we’re within a run or two, I’ll take it,” said LaPenta. “If he catches that pop-up, it’s only 4-2 in the bottom of the fifth.” 

Bristol was foiled in the top of the first as Jayden Churchill (two walks, two runs, four stolen bases) was hit by a pitch and when Adam Caron (2-for-4) dropped a one-hopper into center, two runners were on with one out.

The duo each stole a base but Ryan Fradette (sac fly) lined out to Sean Salvador on the mound for the second out.

And the pitcher quickly chucked the ball to third base to double-up Churchill as opportunity came and went for Post 2. 

Bristol allowed a run in the bottom of the first but it could have been worse.

Preston Tabor drew a full count walk and stole second before Woodsome picked him off the bag for the second out of the frame.

But Ken Miller just got the ball over the fence in center for a home run as Waterford nabbed a 1-0 push through one.

In the second with one away, Woodsome popped up behind the plate but he was interfered with by the catcher, awarded first base.

Tyler Martin followed up with a walk and the duo each moved up a base on Matt Beaucar’s groundout.

Chris Osuch then drew a four-ball walk, loading up the bases with two outs, but Norris looked at strike three to end the half-inning.

In the bottom of the second, Waterford roped out two singles but Norris induced a 6-4-3 double play to end the second as Bristol was back at the dish still trailing by a run.

Post 2 got the run back in the third when Churchill walked and when Tyler Stickels drew four balls with two outs, runners were on first and third.

And it was pickle time.

The ‘Bristol pickle’ was called for and Salvador threw the ball to first in a pickoff attempt as Stickels took off for second.

Stickels baited the throw towards second base and Churchill easily scored from third to tie things up at 1-1.

But opportunistic Post 161 retook the lead in the bottom of the third.

Tabor led off with a full count walk, stole second and when the throw from Osuch was off the mark on the steal, the speedster made it to third base on the error.

From there, Miller sent a long fly ball to Fradette in center for the second out – scoring Tabor from third – as the sacrifice gave the home team a 2-1 lead through three.  

Martin singled on to open the fourth but a pop-up to short and a couple fielder’s choices ended things for the visitors.

Bristol nearly put a 1-2-3 inning together in the bottom of the fourth but Waterford rallied as a two-out pop-up by Martinez was dropped in the infield.

Post 161 then went for three runs as Tabor walked for the third time, Conner Rowe then tripled down the right field line to score two and an RBI single from Miller made it a 5-1 game heading into the fifth inning.

Salvador settled down nicely, retiring seven of eight, and going into the bottom of the fifth, Waterford led by four.

Jack Lathrop opened the bottom of the fifth with single to left and quickly stole second.

After Woodsome fanned Jackson Long, Aidan Whitten dropped a base hit to center and when the ball slipped by the fielder, Lathrop scored to make it 6-1.

O’Connor then doubled to right to score Whitten as Waterford grabbed a 7-1 push as Alex Canzellarini came into throw for Post 2.

After a strikeout, Canzellarini plunked Tabor with a pitch but Beaucar made a spectacular diving catch in right off a Rowe liner to end the fifth.

In the sixth, Beaucar smoked an RBI single down the line in right to notch a run and when Osuch zipped in a 6-4 fielder’s choice, Martin scored from third as Bristol trimmed the deficit to 7-3.

Canzellarini struck out two in the bottom of the sixth inning, doing a tremendous job in relief, and heading for the seventh, Bristol still trailed by four.

“Alex’s had some command problems all season but he came in and pitched light’s out there,” said LaPenta of Canzellarini. 

Post 2 attempted to rally as Churchill earned a walk and took second on a balk by reliever Matt Reilly.

Caron then singled for the second time to center to put two on and quickly, without the benefit of an out, the tying run was in the on-deck circle.

And Fradette nearly boosted a ball out of the yard in left but the fielder made a catch on the run on the warning track for the first out.

Churchill scored on what turned into a sac fly to make it a 7-4 game.

“I thought we were in the game, even in the end there,” said LaPenta. “Ryan’s ball was two feet from going out there. [If it goes out], we’d be down a run,” said LaPenta of Fradette’s shot to left.

Canzellarini followed with a hit to left as his single scored Caron and the deficit was reduced to 7-5 with two gone.

But Bristol couldn’t get it any closer as the locals closed out the campaign with a two-run loss on the final day of state tournament pod play.

“We put up two more runs there and had the tying run at the plate,” said LaPenta. “That’s all you can ask for.”

Bristol Senior American Legion Baseball – State Tournament, Northern Division, Pod C Game

WATERFORD 7, BRISTOL 5

from Waterford High School

Bristol (12-9)  001 002 2 – 5 6 3 

Waterford (24-3) 101 320 x – 7 10 1

WP – Sean Salvador; LP – Dylan Woodsome (Bristol), 3-1 overall

Bristol Batting 

2B – None

3B – None 

HR – None 

Waterford Batting 

2B – Ryan O’Connor

3B – Conner Rowe

HR – Ken Miller

Records: Waterford 24-3 overall; Bristol 12-9

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