By Michael Letendre

MARLBOROUGH – The opening contest for the Bristol Senior American Legion Baseball team was a complete success on Wednesday evening, though Tri-County tried to flip the script in the end.

Post 2 carried a 3-1 lead into the bottom of the seventh inning, but the opponents eventually had the bases loaded with one out, trailing by a single run.

However, Bristol pitcher Ryan Maglio eventually fanned the side as Post 2 snared a 3-2 triumph Zone 3 triumph from Memorial Field in Marlborough.

“You know it wasn’t going to be easy, our first game,” said Bristol coach Jerry LaPenta.

It was Bristol’s first Zone 3 game ever.

Post 2 was down its contingent of Bristol Central players due to the school’s sports banquet while Wolcott – who could provide several players to the roster this season – are in the midst of playing for a Class M scholastic championship.

Maglio was tough over his 2023 debut, allowing just three hits, striking out eight, walking four and going the distance as he ran out of pitches.

“Mags pitched a great game,” said LaPenta of Maglio. “That kid that was up there at the end [Steven Laliberte, who Maglio struck out to end the game], he’s their best player. The kid can hit. For the first time out, Mags really pitched good.”

Bristol was retired in order to open the game but in the bottom of the first, the home team tried to cobble something together.

Oliver Ross reached base via an error but Elliot Norris, Bristol’s slick fielding shortstop, cued a 6-3 double play – stomping on second base for the first out – before throwing it over the first for the other putout.

And Maglio fanned the last batter he faced to keep things scoreless through one.

In the top of the second, Bristol’s Cole Caccamo (two walks) and Connor Cyr (2-for-3, run) each drew walks – along with Tri-County’s Sam Senes in the bottom of the tilt – but none of those runners crossed the dish as the game remained a scoreless affair.

But in the third tilt, Bristol drew first blood.

Jayden Churchill (1-for-2, walk, run, sac fly) sprinted out an infield hit to third base, stole second, and then came home when Chase Belisle (1-for-2, two walks) belted a deep-dish double to deep right field, making it a 1-0 game.

“I thought we hit the ball pretty good,” said LaPenta.

Maglio and Caccamo followed up with walks, loading things up with two away.

EJ Sanchez walked as well – forcing Belisle home – as Post 2 snared a 2-0 edge.

James Quinn then took over for Tri-County on the hill and Cyr, who just got under what appeared to be a multi-base hit, flew out to center as the visiting team was up a couple runs going into the bottom of the third.

“Connor hit one that I was sure was in the gap with the bases loaded,” said LaPenta of Cyr. “I think the [outfielder] was kind of shifted over.”

Ross drew a two-out walk in the third but never got off first base to keep it a 2-0 game midway through the fourth.

And the only hit of the game, to that point for Tri-County, came and went by Senes.

He cracked a two-out home run over the fence in short right, chopping the deficit to 2-1 through four.

Bristol appeared to be on the verge of scoring in the fifth frame as Churchill and Belisle each walked to open the tilt.

Two pop outs later, Sanchez lined-out to left, with the fielder making a below the waist snag of the ball, but Bristol still led 2-1.

“EJ hit one down the line and the kid caught it right in the heel” of his glove said LaPenta of Sanchez. “That would have been a couple runs there.” 

Post 2 generated a run in the top of the sixth off a variety of offensive moves.

Cyr singled down the third base line while Isaac Roberge bunted the lead runner over to second.

Mike Roalf walked and then Norris laid down a sweet infield bunt, making it to first base safely to load things up.

And Churchill flew to center for the second out but in the process, Cyr scored from third base to make it a 3-1 game.

“The inning where we got the insurance run with Jayden’s [sacrifice fly] was huge,” said LaPenta. “It gave us a little breathing room when we had that little hiccup there in the seventh.”

The Bristol defense held in the bottom of the stanza even after Quinn jammed a two-base hit to center in the leadoff spot.

From there, a groundout and two backwards Ks ended the sixth as that 3-1 push was holding. 

Cyr eked out an infield hit to third in the seventh but never advanced as Tri-County was down to its final three outs.

Of course, Tri-County refused to go quietly into the night as two runners reached base via consecutive errors and a walk loaded things up with one out.

Ross zipped out an infield tally to shortstop, just getting to first base safely off a throw over by Norris, as Davidson scored to trim the deficit to 3-2 with the bases still juiced.

But Quinn and Laliberte both struck out looking to end the showdown as Maglio finished the job and Post 2 came away with a huge 3-2 triumph. 

“It shows really good character,” said LaPenta of the win. “It could have easily imploded there. We could have given that game away. We were able to hang on, get the ‘W’ in the first game of the year.”

“It’s a good sign.”

Bristol American Legion Baseball – Zone 3, Senior Division

BRISTOL 3, TRI-COUNTY 2

from Memorial Field, Marlborough

Bristol (1-0) 002 001 0 – 3 4 2

Tri-County (1-2) 000 100 1 – 2 4 0

WP – Ryan Maglio (Bristol, 1-0); LP – Jake Kucharski (Tri-County)

Bristol Batting

2B – Chasse Belisle

3B – None

HR – None

Tri-County

2B – Oliver Quinn

3B – None

HR – Sam Senes

Records: Bristol 1-0 overall; Tri-County 1-2