By Michael Letendre
MADISON – After a promising start by the Bristol Central baseball team in CIAC Class L second round play, the top seeded squad in the bracket used a huge second inning scoring barrage to eventually topple the Rams on Wednesday.
No. 1 Daniel Hand upended Central by a 9-3 final as the No. 16 ranked Rams ended their season at 10-7.
After the Rams jumped to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first frame, Hand attacked Central in the second stanza, collecting six runs to snare a 6-2 lead and did not look back.
Mike Lorenzetti absorbed the loss for the locals while Matt Beaucar and Frank Spirito also saw time on the hill for Central.
Matt Carone (4-0) earned the win for the Tigers who moved onto the quarterfinal round of the Class L tourney – squaring off against No. 9 Bethel (14-5) on Saturday.
Central managed to out-hit the Tigers 7-5 as Sean Wininger blasted out a solo home run while Adam Caron was 3-of-4 from the plate.
Hand’s Anthony DePino added a three-run homer and collected four RBI for the victors.
Also for the Tigers, Jack Pireaux smoked out a single and added two RBI while Danny Weinstein had a base hit for Hand.
After Hand dropped in those six runs, Central added one in the top of the fifth to trim the deficit to 6-3 before the top seed put three additional runs on the scoreboard in the bottom of the tilt to put the game out of reach at 9-3.
Hand is now 18-2.
The contest was the final one for Central seniors Roberto Cruz, Chris Osuch, Adam Caron, Jacoby Banks, Michael Lorenzetti, Sean Wininger, Matt Beaucar, and Dylan Hudson.
NOTES…Central head coach Bunty Ray collected a milestone to open tournament play while just missing out on another against Hand. The 5-1 victory over Farmington on June 1 was Ray’s 300th game for the program. The win against the River Hawks was also Ray’s 199th victory at Bristol Central. The long time skipper will wait until next season to win his 200th game.
CIAC Class L Baseball, Second Round
NO. 1 DANIEL HAND 9, NO. 16 BRISTOL CENTRAL 3
from Madison
Bristol Central (10-7) 200 010 0 – 3 7 2
Daniel Hand (16-1) 060 030 x – 9 5 0
WP – Matt Carone (DH, 4-0); LP – Mike Lorenzetti (BC)
HR – Sean Wininger (BC); Anthony DePino (DH)
Records: Daniel Hand 18-2 overall; Bristol Central 10-7
