By Michael Letendre
SIMSBURY – Looking for a little momentum going into state tournament play, the Bristol American Legion baseball team showed Simsbury no mercy over the final day of the regular season.
In an ironic twist, the game just went five innings due to the mercy rule as Post 2 won a 14-0 decision on Sunday – finishing the regular season at 17-6 overall and 15-5 in Zone 1.
“I think we had the zone already locked up anyways even if we lost,” said Bristol coach Jerry LaPenta. “West Hartford beat Avon yesterday. But you don’t want to come here and give [Simsbury] their first win.”
“I didn’t know how [Simsbury] was going to react. They had a tough year. They just don’t have a lot.”
Simsbury (0-15) allowed Bristol a season-high 17 hits as Austin Brown went 4-of-5 with two RBI.
And on the pitching front, the trio of Matt Beaucar (5-1), Alex Canzellarini, and Owen Davis combined for a five-inning no-hitter.
“We threw a team no hitter,” said LaPenta. “Austin [Brown] had four hits in four at-bats [over the first four innings]. He was going for a record…”
Bristol went on the offensive in the top of the first as Brown dropped a ball into right field on the first pitch of the game, stole second base and then moved to third on a passed ball.
And then Ryan Fradette (2-for-2, two runs) slapped a ball by the shortstop for his first hit.
Brown scored to make it 1-0 and when Fradette swiped second, it set the table for Jack Kozikowski (2-for-3, three RBI).
And Kozikowski slipped a two-base hit to the gap in right, scoring Fradette, as the game became a 2-0 tilt.
Davis (2-for-3, two RBI) followed up with a single to right before stealing second.
A groundout to shortstop by Evan Bouchard allowed Kozikowski to score from third as Bristol led 3-0 through just a half-inning of play.
But the frame wasn’t over as Dylan Woodsome (1-for-3) earned a four-pitch walk and Tyler Stickels (2-for-3, RBI) sent a long infield hit to shortstop to score Davis and make it a 4-0 push.
Post 2 was on the verge of batting around but Trevor Nohilly (2-for-4, two runs) grounded out to first and with Beaucar about to take the mound, the 4-0 deficit for Simsbury loomed big on the scoreboard.
Beaucar (2.2 IP, 3 Ks) was crisp, fanning the first two batters he faced before Dan Gorham popped out foul to Stickels at first base for a 1-2-3 inning.
Simsbury lifted Gorham, the losing pitcher of the day, for Morgan Rybczyk to start the second stanza as the top of the order was up for Bristol.
And Post 2 was right back at it as Brown popped a bouncing ball behind third base for a hit and then Andrew Lozier unleashed a long double to right field.
Brown easily scored from first base as Bristol pushed up a 5-0 edge.
Fradette then roped a single to third as runners eventually occupied second and third.
And when Kozikowski struck out, the ball was dropped and the batter was off to first base.
Kozikowski ended up out at first but Lozier scooted home from third as Post 2 led it, 6-0.
Davis then unleashed a long fly ball to center and off the catch, Fradette came home as the sacrifice fly made it 7-0.
It was six up and six down for Beaucar on the flip side as Bristol kept up the pressure defensively.
Post 84 was using a pitcher-by-committee method as Kevin Gallagher took the mound for the home team but could not finish the inning.
Nohilly dropped in a single as Bristol was back to the top of the order – starting a slick two-out rally.
A error gave Nohilly second, he later stole third, and Brown brought him home via a base hit to short left — making it an 8-0 push in favor of the visiting contingent.
Lozier was then drilled in the back with a pitch that put two runners on.
Fradette walked to load the bases and Simsbury went to Greg Mrosek on the mound — the fourth pitcher of the game for Post 84.
Kozikowski drew ball four on Mrosek’s first batter, scoring Brown, as Bristol’s cushion reached 9-0.
Meanwhile, Beaucar was still looking to face the bottom of the Simsbury order for the first time.
Beaucar faced the first two batters of the third, retiring the batters he faced, as Canzellarini (1.1 ip, 2 Ks) took over to throw as Post 2 had pitching eligibility for the state tournament on the mind.
“I got everyone in a little bit,” said LaPenta.
Simsbury’s Chris Stamboulis walked but Matt Ferro popped out foul at third to Kozikowski to keep the shutout intact.
Aiden Dwyer pitched for Simsbury in the fourth but with one gone, Woodsome had tallied the hit of the game.
He drilled a ball into centerfield for a hit and then hustled into second base, slipped under the tag, and the double put another runner into scoring position for the visiting aggression.
Stickles walked to follow Woodsome as the lead runner advanced on a passed ball.
And then Nohilly belted a grounder to the mound but Dwyer overthrew first base and on the error, Woodsome scored to make it a 10-0 contest.
A single to left-center by Brown gave the batter a 4-for-4 performance, scoring Stickels in the process, as the Simsbury deficit reached 11-0.
Zach Rinkavage then sent a high pop-up to first base which was dropped.
The error allowed Nohilly to score as Bristol’s edge was a dozen runs.
After Fradette walked to load the bases, Will Smith came in from right to throw for Simsbury.
Kozikowski greeted Smith with a flare to left and Davis added one to right — as the RBI hits made it a 14-0 contest.
Canzellarini had little time for tomfoolery in the fourth, needing 11 pitches over two K’s and a fly out, as Bristol was right back at the dish.
And in the shocker of the day, Smith stayed on the mound to face Bristol in the fifth, the first inning of the game that the home team did not change its pitcher.
Bristol put two hits on the board but did not score as Davis (2 Ks) came into pitch in a 14-0 game, losing for the close out.
Post 84 was looking to rally but had to score five times to keep the contest afloat.
After a man reached base on an error, Davis struck out the next two batters before a groundout ended the fray as Simsbury was no-hit over five innings — falling 14-0.
On Monday, Post 2 will learn its fate for state tournament play as Bristol enters the postseason as the Zone 1 champs.
“I just told [the players] I was really proud of the season, winning the zone,” said LaPenta.
Bristol American Legion, Senior Baseball – Zone 1 game
BRISTOL 14, SIMSBURY 0 (5)
from Memorial Field, Simsbury
Bristol (17-6) 432 50 – 14 17 1
Simsbury (0-15) 000 00 – 0 0 3
WP: Matt Beaucar (Bristol, 5-1); LP: Daniel Gorham (Simsbury)
Bristol Batting
2B – Jack Kozikowski, Andrew Lozier, Dylan Woodsome, Trevor Nohilly
Simsbury Batting – No Hits
Records: Bristol 17-6 overall, 15-5 Zone 1; Simsbury 0-15 Zone 1
