By Michael Letendre

EAST HARTFORD – It was a Zone 1 Northern Division Junior state tournament semifinal on Thursday as Bristol’s American Legion baseball squad and rival West Hartford put together quite a show to determine which team advanced to the North final.

And it took all seven innings to do so as West Hartford couldn’t shake the kids from Bristol.

Post 96 scored a late run in the sixth inning to seize control of the game as top-seeded West Hartford racked up a 3-2 victory over No. 12 Bristol from McKenna Field in East Hartford.

West Hartford improved to 20-5-1 while Post 2 fell to 9-13 but had a great finish in state tournament play after going 0-4 over the previous weekend to end the regular season.

“We had three really good games in the playoffs,” said Bristol coach Bill Mason. “I can’t say enough about how hard they played, showing competitiveness and being able to compete after how we lost and didn’t play well [the previous] weekend.

Simsbury defeated RCP, 3-2, in the first game of the doubleheader and will battle West Hartford in the Northern Division final – another all Zone 1 affair — on Friday.

Bristol opened the contest against Post 96 with a run as Elliott Norris (2-for-3, two runs) started the game off with a base hit that got by the shortstop.

Cole Latko (two sac bunts) sacrificed the runner over while Jaydon Churchill grounded out to short but advanced Norris to third.

From there, Jose Feliciano (2-for-3, double, two RBI) belted a single to left, scoring Norris, as Post 2 led 1-0.

Mitch Crowley went 1-2-3 in the bottom of the tilt as the contest was quickly afoot.

He pitched extremely well, allowing just the three runs on six hits while striking out two over a complete game effort.

“Mitchell pitching today, he only threw thirty pitches for us all season,” said Mason of Crowley. “He went out and pitched a heck of a game.”

Bristol did not add to its tally in the top of the second but West Hartford’s Tyler Redden dropped a two-out single down the third base line — later stealing second to get into scoring position.

West Hartford pitcher Lucas Pyrro was hit by Crowley to put two on, but Harry Nelson flew out to Norris in left field to end the second with Bristol still in front, 1-0.

Pyrro got into a bit of a groove, retiring seven straight going into the bottom of the third as Post 96 was looking to get on the scoreboard.

Brendan Grady raced out a base hit to open the frame, quickly stealing second, but Anthony Mangini lined out to Latko at shortstop.

And with the runner already heading to third, Latko easily stepped on the bag for a slick double play.

Quinn LaRock then flew out to short left to end the third as opportunity came and went for West Hartford with Bristol was still leading 1-0.

Pyrro had retired nine straight before Lorenzo reached base when the West Hartford shortstop bobbled the ball with two gone in the fourth.

Ryan Maglio grounded out to third base to end the inning, but Post 2 was still in charge by a run.

Mason Hebert led off the bottom of the fourth with a full count walk as Post 96 had its leadoff runner on.

On a hit and run, Chase Hanawalt slammed a ball to centerfield but Mike Roalf made a spectacular catch for the first out.

Hebert stole second with two outs and off a grounder by Ty Redden, the ball was throw away to first — allowing the lead runner to score — and it was quickly a 1-1 game.

Bristol went down in order in the fifth as Pyrro had sent down 13 of 14 Post 2 batters after the Feliciano base hit in the first inning.

In the bottom of the fifth stanza, Jacob Morren sent a blooper just over the glove of Jed Satula but Crowley fanned Mangini to put an out on the board.

Morren then swiped second base and advanced to third on a groundout.

And Hebert blasted a rocket to left, scoring Morren, as West Hartford led it 2-1 through five.

And then, it was small-ball time for Bristol.

At the top of the order, Norris bunted the ball down the first base line. The Post 96 pitcher and catcher followed the ball halfway down the line but never went foul.

Off a sacrifice bunt by Latko, Norris was at second base and represented the tying run with one away.

With two gone, Feliciano sent an absolute bomb to left field as Norris scored on the double and quickly, it was a brand new game at 2-2.

“He had a home run earlier this season and got a hold of another one today,” said Mason of Feliciano. “He had a big hit the other day too.”

But West Hartford went in front for good as Declan McCann flipped an infield hit up the middle, stole second and when Redden unloaded a double to left, the lead runner tagged the dish as Bristol trailed 3-2 with one inning left.

Post 96 brought in its closer, Hanawalt (two Ks), and the locals were retired in order as West Hartford advanced via a tough 3-2 decision over Post 2.

“We came back and showed some character and some guts [after] this past weekend,” said Mason.

Bristol American Legion, Junior Baseball – Connecticut State Tournament, Northern Division, Semifinal Round Game  

WEST HARTFORD 3, BRISTOL 2 

from McKenna Field, East Hartford 

Bristol (9-13)     100 001 0  – 2 4 1 

West Hartford (20-5-1) 000 111 x – 3 6 1   

WP: Lucas Pyrro (West Hartford); LP: Mitch Crowley (Bristol)  

Bristol Batting

2B – Jose Feliciano

3B – None

HR – None  

West Hartford Batting   

2B – Tyler Redden

3B – None

HR – None  

Records: West Hartford 20-5-1 overall; Bristol 9-13 overall