By Michael Letendre
Was a three-peat in the cards for the Bristol Merchants of the Greater Hartford Twilight Baseball League in 2006?
The two-time defending Greater Hartford Twilight Baseball League champs lost several of its players from the past two years but added a couple key components for a possible title run.
It was Bunty Ray’s fifth campaign as manager of the Merchants and his squad was looking for a third straight championship – the first since People’s Bank pulled off the feat over the years 2000-2002.
The team did lose a little pop as Matt Hackney ended up playing for the New Haven County Cutters in 2006 but newcomers Rex Cone and Clint Mitchell helped to reinforce the outfield.
Each player had critical hits and timely at-bats throughout the campaign.
GHTBL Pitcher of the Year in 2005, Jerry Hasler, returned while Chris Strahowski, Eric Butkiewicz, Justin Fuller and Brian Archibald helped to boost another strong rotation.
Scott Martin was hurt early in the season and did not finish the year.
Bristol returned a veteran crew to the infield which included Rick Barrett, Adam Peters, and Rick Hewey along with first team, all-league performer Nick Macellaro.
Catching for that superior pitching staff was Joel Stamilio and Paul Franceschi while Ray and Joe Parlante were joined in the outfield by Cone and Mitchell.
Chris Sawyer was also a big-time producer for the squad.
Bristol went a stellar 23-9 that season but did not win the postseason championship.
To start the season on May 26, Hasler, Strahowski, Fuller, and Butkiewicz combined to throw a two-hitter – tallying 12 strikeouts – over a 2-0 thumping of Mr. G’s in Bristol.
Macellaro had two hits to lead the offense while Peters and Ray added the other tallies over a four-hit attack against Mr. G’s.
Macellaro smacked a double in the first frame and scored on an error while Hewey (HBP) came home on Peter’s RBI single to left to make it a 2-0 game.
Then, on June 11, Ray had three hits and three runs scored as Bristol won its second game of the year, defeating Simsbury by eight runs, 9-1.
Butkiewicz threw a three-hitter, fanning seven, and went the distance while Barrett added two hits and two RBI in as the Merchants won from Muzzy Field.
Bristol had a five-run fifth to break the contest open as Bristol moved to 2-1.
Ray’s fourth inning single proved to be the difference as the Merchants (4-2 overall) won in East Hartford, defeating the Aeros 2-1 on June 14.
Archibald won the contest for Bristol, going the distance, as he allowed just four hits while striking out 10.
On June 18, Mitchell zipped up two hits and three RBI while Barrett and Cone picked up two hits apiece as Bristol won in Portland, snaring a 7-1 win.
Hasler threw a complete game gem, holding Bill’s to a single run.
Bristol (6-2) scored three runs in the first inning as the Merchants never trailed over the showdown.
The locals were just a half game behind Vernon (6-1) for first place in the league.
Cone might have been a rookie in GHTBL action but against Bill’s in the first game of a doubleheader on June 30, the slugger had the hit of the evening.
Tied at 1-1, Cone blasted a two-run homer in the seventh – netting the tying and go-ahead runs – as Bristol nabbed a 3-1 win against Bills in from Muzzy Field via the walk off tally.
And then against the East Hartford Jets in game two, Peters notched an RBI single while Parlante’s sacrifice fly gave the Merchants (10-3) the lead for good over a one-run victory, 3-2.
The Merchants battled Simsbury from Memorial Park on July 19 – picking up a 5-3 victory to move to 15-7 on the season.
Peters and Ray each had two hits and an RBI as Bristol zipped up four early runs which made all the difference in the contest.
To end the regular season, the Merchants had one more week, five total games, to make its push for the GTHBL regular season title.
Bristol had dates against Foss, the Rising Stars, Mr. G’s, and People’s to end the regular season.
Ray generated four hits, including an RBI single to win it, as Bristol defeated Foss in a 6-3 10 inning war from Manchester on July 20.
Amazingly, Strahowski went the full 10 innings – striking out 10 – to post the incredible victory for the Merchants.
Peters had a critical two-RBI double in the tenth for a little insurance.
Bristol quickly swept Hartford on July 21 – winning games by scores of 12-0 and 7-0 to go to 18-7 overall.
It was ‘Joe Parlante’ Day in Bristol as he collected five hits and eight RBI over the two games versus the Rising Stars from Muzzy Field, leading to blowout victories.
Hasler and Archibald drew the victories on the mound for the locals, each throwing five innings over the two shutout efforts.
ProCare and Vernon were both in first place at 14-5 but still had several games to make up while Bristol hanging in at third place.
That all changed as Bristol battled at People’s on July 26.
With first place and the regular season championship on the line (that wasn’t a known fact at game-time), the Merchants defeated People’s Bank 1-0 from Trinity College in Hartford.
Barrett drove in the game-winning run while Fuller won the game from the hill to post Bristol to its 20th victory of the campaign
He went the distance with nine strikeouts as did People’s outstanding ace, John Skinner.
The Merchants’ finished the regular season at 20-7 which was good for a first place tie for the league’s regular season title.
Bristol tied ProCare and Vernon for the regular season championship.
And then to start the playoffs, Bristol belted the East Hartford Aeros (2-1) on August 4 and Simsbury (4-1) two days later to stay in the GHTBL winner’s bracket.
Against Simsbury, Mitchell had the go-ahead hit, Cone added two hits while Hasler threw six innings to take the win.
Archibald earned the save for his one frame of relief.
But on August 8, Bristol fell to People’s by a 3-1 final but rebounded to beat the Vernon Orioles (4-1) on August 9.
Parlante had a critical two-run double while Macellaro singled home the game-winning tally for Bristol against the Orioles.
However, later that day, the Merchants had to battle People’s again.
And People’s won the rematch 6-2 as Bristol ended the season at 23-9.
Hewey, Peters, Parlante, Macellaro, and Ray were all named GBHTL All-Star First Team while Hasler won the Kyle Valentine Award.
Next week, TBE will take a look at an exciting 2007 campaign and more championships to follow.
