By Michael Letendre
DANBURY – The Bristol American Legion Baseball team battled the defending 19U state champs on Saturday afternoon, squaring off against Danbury in the 2023 Stars and Stripes Tournament.
And Post 60 proved while they’re still a formidable program, spinning Bristol by a 15-5 final in a mercy ruled five inning affair.
Post 2 fell to 7-7-3 overall while Danbury improved to 10 games over .500 (14-4).
Bristol had to battle all the elements that afternoon because only seven players were ready to go at game time.
The traffic down to Danbury was intense, the weather had isolated thunderstorms in the forecast, several players weren’t available for the contest to begin with while the game was delayed about 25 minutes until a couple players from the Junior team – who played Torrington earlier in the day – arrived to get things started as Bristol rolled with just nine players.
“It was crazy,” said Bristol coach Jerry LaPenta. “After yesterday’s [7-6 continuation victory against NCL], Elliot [Norris] had a death in the family and the Dunne’s [Joe and Josh] had their graduation party and Caleb [Molinsky] got hurt in the junior game.”
“But I didn’t want to forfeit. I’ve been [coaching here] for 15 years and I haven’t forfeited once.”
And once the non-conference showdown commenced, Post 2 quickly got to work.
Bristol popped off two runs in the top of the first as Ryan Maglio reached on a one out error and Jayden Churchill (1-for-1, RBI) was plunked by a pitch.
The duo moved up on a passed ball and Cole Caccamo (2-for-3, home run, three RBI) grounded out to second, scoring Maglio, to make it a 1-0 contest.
Churchill scored on a passed ball from third as Post 2 was up two runs (2-0) through just a half inning of work.
Danbury went for three runs in the bottom of the tilt as an RBI double by Anthony Hackert, a double steal and a run-scoring single from Matt Wallin produced all the offense – leading to a 3-2 edge for the home squad through one.
Bristol got it back in the second as Tyler Ryan (1-for-2) hit the squad’s first triple of the season with one gone – a blast to left field – and scored on Churchill’s infield hit to shortstop as the contest was all tied up at 3-3.
Post 2 eventually loaded things up, thanks to a walk by Maglio and a single from Caccamo, but no additional runners crossed the plate.
Post 60 responded in the bottom of the second as Dylan Gangi drilled a double and one out later, Hackert had his second two-base blast of the game.
Gangi came home on the Hackert double as Danbury regained the edge, this time at 4-3, but Bristol starting pitcher EJ Sanchez was more than holding his own.
“For the first two innings, it was 4-3 there and we were hanging with them,” said LaPenta. “And I thought EJ pitching for the first time all year threw really well.”
Declan Schenck (two walks) drew a base-on-balls to open the third but got picked off the bag as Post 60 eventually went 1-2-3 to keep its one run lead intact.
And then Danbury went for a 10-pack of runs in the bottom of the third – highlighted by a two-run in the park homer (the field did not have a fence) by Gabriel Pena Rodriguez as the team squared away a 14-3 push through three completed innings.
“That team can hit,” said LaPenta of Danbury. “They didn’t win the state’s last year for nothing. [Sanchez] made some decent pitches and they could hit. They also got some bleeders and bloopers [to fall]. They’re a sound team. They play well, they’re enthusiastic and they have some bodies.”
Connor Cyr (1-for-3) roped out a single to center in Bristol’s fourth, but a 6-4-3 double play ended the frame as the home team was cruising.
Danbury added a run in the fourth, but Ryan pitched well, Jed Sutula – Bristol’s catcher – caught two pop-ups in foul territory in the inning, getting Post 2 back to the dish in the top of the fifth.
“I can’t remember ever seeing that” twice said LaPenta of Sutula’s catches. “Twice in one season. It’s crazy.”
Post 2 refused to go quietly in the night in the fifth as Churchill walked and then Caccamo uncorked Bristol’s first home run of the season – a huge shot to right that kept the fielder running forever – as his two-run shot trimmed the deficit to 15-5.
“Cole just keeps ripping them,” said LaPenta of Caccamo. “That ball was [booted].”
But Bristol couldn’t chop the Danbury cushion any further as Post fell by 10 runs via the mercy rule, 15-5.
“You know what, it’s baseball and I’m glad we got the game in,” said LaPenta.
Bristol American Legion Baseball – 2023 Stars and Stripes Tournament
DANBURY 15, BRISTOL 5 (5)
from Danbury High School
Bristol (7-7-3) 210 02 – 5 5 3
Danbury (14-4) 31(10) 1x – 15 18 1
WP – Nick Callari (Danbury); LP – EJ Sanchez (Bristol)
Bristol Batting
2B – None
3B – Ryan Tyler
HR – Cole Caccamo
Danbury Batting
2B – Tony Hackert (2), Dylan Gangi
3B – Thai-ler Sestokas
HR – Gabriel Pena Rodriguez
Records: Danbury 14-4 overall;Bristol 7-7-3.
