By Michael Letendre
Bristol has always been a hotbed for baseball and there’s plenty of men’s leagues to follow in town.
One such program is the Bristol Mustangs.
The Mustangs are part of the CNMSBL (CT North Men’s Senior Baseball League) in Connecticut which is part of the National MSBL Association.
The program is one of the eight squads in the 35-plus age division and competes against teams all over the Central Connecticut area.
The locals, who play their home games from Page Park, have been holding their own to start the campaign, playing in two Sunday doubleheaders to date.
In week one, the Mustangs split their home opener from Page Park, falling to the Clinton Brewers 9-6 over the first game while earning a 6-4 victory in the second contest of the doubleheader on April 24.
In the win, Matt Wood Webber led the Bristol offense with a couple RBI while Kyle Bridgman went 2-of-4 with two runs scored.
Anthony Parrino also added two hits while Justin Gerace and Todd Brayne each tallied a hit to lead the offense.
David Michaud earned the victory on the mound over seven innings of work – posting just two earned runs off nine hits.
He tallied six strikeouts while walking only three.
Week 2 saw the Mustangs scoop up 26 runs over two games on May 1 – splitting the Sunday affair against the East Haven Showtime from Bransfield Park in Portland.
In game one, Bristol dominated over its 19-5 thrashing of East Haven as the locals collected 19 hits.
Bridgeman went 2-for-5 with a walk, two RBI and five runs scored while Bryan Webster (3-of-4, two walks, two RBI) was one of four players from the Mustangs with three hits.
Parrino went 3-for-5 with two runs and two RBI, Scott Vibert was a perfect 3-of-3 with two runs and a team-leading three RBI, and Todd Brayne nabbed three hits with a run and an RBI.
Ryan Brayne (2-for-5, two runs, two RBI) and Ed Giunta (2-for-4) each nabbed two hits while Woods Weber and Randy Robinson each added a run.
Michaud threw well again, allowing just five hits, five runs (three earned) while posting two Ks.
That made Bristol 2-2 over its first four games as the squad was just a half-game out of first place in Gray Division play.
Last season, the 2021 champions were the Hebron Hops and Bristol hopes to be in the championship mix come playoff time this year.
The players
This season’s roster is composed of managers Todd Brayne and Matthew Woods Weber, along with David Blake, Ryan Brayne, Kyle Bridgman, Justin Gerace, David Kull, Ed Giunta, Jason Gould, Alexander Lowry, Manuel Maldanado, Stephen McDonald, David Michaud, Anthony Parrino, Randy Robinson, Scott Vibert, and Bryan Webster.
Upcoming Slate for the Mustangs
After this Sunday’s twin bill against the Rocky Hill/Newington Caps from Page Park, the locals stay home to battle the currently undefeated Hebron Hops (4-0) in Bristol on May 22.
Game one starts at 9 a.m. while the second contest commences around noontime.
And then after the holiday, the Mustangs are on the road against the East Lyme Jays at Veteran’s Park in Niantic (June 5) and the following Sunday, Bristol battles the Portland Pirates (June 12) from Bransfield Park.
You can follow Bristol Mustangs baseball at www.cnmsbl.org.
