By Michael Letendre

BRISTOL – A five-run first inning was all the Bristol American Legion baseball squad needed its first round encounter against South Windsor on Tuesday night.

After that fateful frame, No. 14 South Windsor had to play catch-up the entire evening, eventually falling to No. 3 Bristol by a 9-2 final in the opening round of the Connecticut American Legion State Baseball Tournament from Muzzy Field in Bristol.

“I didn’t expect that,” said Bristol coach Jerry LaPenta of the first inning scoring explosion. “I couldn’t ask for a better first inning.”

Bristol (18-6) got another outstanding effort from Andrew Lozier (5.2 IP, 3 hits, 6 Ks) – pitching his squad into the second round of the single elimination tournament against Tri-Town.

“Honest, I didn’t feel that good,” said Lozier. “Coming in, I was a little iffy. I didn’t have the best bullpen [warm-up] in the world. But I got on the mound and I was confident, especially in my catcher [Owen Davis]. So I went there and got after it.”

To open the showdown, South Windsor attempted a two-out rally but Lozier proved to be too tough to top.

Jack Dempsey hit a ball deep into the pocket at shortstop for an infield hit and on a hit-and-run, Charlie Keen belted a single to left as men were on the corners.

But Lozier struck out Rob Godi to end the half inning as Bristol put together a tremendous scoring drive.

To lead off, Austin Brown (1-for-4, two runs) spotted a beautiful bunt hit to the third base side of the mound that was thrown away at first.

With Brown on second base, a groundout from Adam Caron (3-for-4, three RBI) put the leadoff runner at third.

Lozier (2-for-3) then dropped a Texas Leaguer in back of second base to plate Brown, making it a 1-0 game.

Lozier then stole second and scored on a Ryan Fradette (2-for-4) double to left-center field as Bristol led 2-0.

Then it was Jack Kozikowski’s turn to drop in a Texas Leaguer, nearly in the same spot as Lozier, to put runners on first and third and then Owen Davis (2-for-3, two RBI) cleared the bases with a blazing triple to the gap in center – making it 4-0 as Post 2 was in complete control.

And once Evan Bouchard walked on four balls, pitcher Ken Cotler’s night was over after just 0.3 of an inning.

Reliever Charlie Keen struck out Zack Rinkavage but on a passed ball, Davis scored from third as Bristol ramped up a 5-0 edge.

“We just came out with some huge hits,” said LaPenta of the first inning. “We just came out swinging. To put up five runs in the first inning just took all the pressure off. Owen had a big hit, Ryan had a big hit, Adam had big hits all night. He’s been hitting all year.”

South Windsor went down in order in the second stanza as Bristol quickly got back to the dish.

Caron slapped a single to left with one gone in the bottom of the tilt but Post 2 was not able to add to its sizable lead.

In the top of the third, Will Bonzelli and Drew Mabey generated back-to-back one-out walks as the visitors tried to get something going.

But Dempsey flew out to right field and Keen struck out as the 5-0 score loomed big on the scoreboard.

In the fourth, with Post 2 still in front by five runs, Kozikowski made a spectacular catch on a Godi line-drive for an out and Davis caught a pop-up in foul territory from Jack Whitlock for the second putout.

Anthony Attianese then flipped in a single but when Tim Sigler struck out, it was the fifth K for Lozier.

Bouchard opened the bottom of the fourth with a single to left while Rinkavage followed suit with a hit to the hole at shortstop.

Trevor Nohilly sacrificed the duo over via bunt, Brown then hit a grounder but the throw home got Bouchard for the second out.

Then the vaunted ‘Bristol Pickle’ was employed with runners on the corners but South Windsor didn’t bite as men were on second and third with two gone.

Caron followed up with a slick single to center, clearing the bases, as the game became a 7-0 affair.

Lozier backed up the play with a base hit of his own – the tenth of the contest for Bristol.

While the home team did not add to the till after that hit, Post 2 was in complete control at 7-0 through four innings of play.

Lozier etched up strikeout number six in the fifth as South Windsor could not figure the Class L All-Stater out as he had retired eight of the last nine batters he faced.

“Lozier pitched well,” said LaPenta. “He didn’t pitch as well as he did against West Hartford but he pitched well.”

Davis slipped in a one-hopper to right in the bottom of the fifth inning but the visitors wiggled out of the jam.

With one gone in the top of the sixth, Lozier was lifted for Davis – making his second straight relief appearance on the hill – as Nate Ouellette came into catch for Bristol.

Davis induced a groundout before walking two and allowing Jack Whitlock and infield hit on a play Bouchard almost made to first base.

Nick Worthington then belted a single to score a run and on an error off the pick-up in right field, another runner scored as South Windsor chopped the deficit to 7-2.

Albert Jackson came into pitch for the visitors in the bottom of the sixth and walked Dylan Woodsome to open his stint.

Woodsome advance on a groundout by Brown, went to third on a passed ball and scored off an RBI come-backer by Caron – making it an 8-2 contest.

Ouellette followed up on a hit-and-run assignment with a long ball to center as Bristol had runners on first and third with one gone.

And then South Windsor fell for the ‘Bristol Pickle’ as Ouellette – on first base – nearly got to second, slowed down to bait a throw, and got tagged out while the speedy Caron easily scored from third to make it a 9-2 contest.

“And I thought, like all year, we gave up two runs there…and we came right back and got some nice insurance, gave us a little buffer there,” said LaPenta of the Bristol runs.

To close out the game in the seventh, Tyler Martin took the mound as Bristol was preserving its core pitching rotation.

“I thought Tyler Martin came in and threw well,” said LaPenta. 

Martin mopped up in the top of the seventh, not allowing any additional South Windsor offense even as the visitors put on two runners via a base hit and an error.

Those runners never scored and in the end, Bristol got to the pay window via the 9-2 victory – advancing to second round play.

“All in all, it was a real good game,” said LaPenta. “The first game of the playoffs, you never know. But the guys have been pretty loosey goosey.”

Bristol American Legion, Senior Baseball – Connecticut State Tournament, First Round Game  

BRISTOL 9, SOUTH WINDSOR 2

from Muzzy Field, Bristol

South Windsor (8-14) 000 002 0 – 2 6 2

Bristol (18-6)     500 220 x  – 9 14 1    

WP: Andrew Lozier (Bristol, 5-0); LP: Ken Cotler (South Windsor)  

Simsbury Batting

2B – None

3B – None

HR – None  

Bristol Batting   

2B – Ryan Fradette (2), Andrew Lozier

3B – Owen Davis

HR – None  

LOB – South Windsor 8; Bristol 6

Records: Bristol 18-6 overall; South Windsor 8-14