By Michael Letendre

BRISTOL – The Bristol 17U American Legion Baseball program is the top squad in all Zone 3.

And on Saturday, Post 2 was able to completely shut down Torrington, wrangling up a 3-0 victory from Riley Field in Bristol. 

Bristol is now all alone in first place at 7-1, a complete game over Ellington and Torrington (5-1).

The loss for Post 38 was the first for the program.

Bristol’s Gabe White started the contest for Bristol and threw extremely well over a no-decision.

He chucked 65 pitches over four innings, eventually making way for Jack Ericksen (two innings, 33 pitches).

Ericksen was helped by a three run fifth despite Post 2 being held to just two hits.

Caleb Simard mopped up for the save over his one frame of action, leading to a huge win in Bristol.

Caleb Molinsky (1-for-3) and Jonathan Montgomery (1-for-3) each tallied hits for the home program while Gavin Colvin, Brian Grabowski and Montgomery all scored runs as Bristol continued its first place push.

Three errors by Post 38 did not help matters while the Torrington program allowed just two hits and played extremely well over every inning except the fifth.

Scoring runs at a magnificent rate

Bristol is a scoring juggernaut, posting 76 runs over eight games (9.5 runs-per-game) and there isn’t any Zone 3 team that’s close to that offensive capability. 

Waterford, somehow a member of Zone 3, is in second place with 50 runs over half-a-dozen games played going into Sunday.

Defensively, Post 2 gives up less than three runs a game (2.9 per game).

That’s a winning formula at any level of baseball.

Upcoming slate

Bristol gets a bit of a break this week as the squad is in action just once.

On Tuesday, Post 2 travels to Middletown at 7 p.m. from Pat Kidney Field in another big Zone 3 showdown.

Game time is 7 p.m.

Bristol American Legion Baseball – Zone 3, Junior Division

BRISTOL 3, TORRINGTON 0

from Riley Field, Bristol

Torrington (5-1)        000 000 0 – 0 2 3

Bristol (7-1)                000 030 x – 3 2 1 

WP – Jonathan Montgomery (Bristol); LP – Matt Potenza (RCP)

Records: Bristol 7-1 overall; Torrington 5-1.