By Michael Letendre

WETHERSFIELD – Over the second half of its season, the baseball program over at Bristol Eastern has pulled off a couple big upsets.

On Wednesday afternoon, another opponent bit the dust as this time, it was the team from Wethersfield.

The Lancers were able to spin the Eagles by a 6-3 final from Esposito Field in Wethersfield.

Eastern (8-11) automatically qualified for the postseason while Wethersfield, winners of 15 of its first 17 games, fell to 15-5 to end its campaign.

There were standouts all over the field for the Lancers as the visiting aggression got to the pay window with some inspirational play.

Eastern got five innings of excellent relief from Jaydon Churchill, pitching for the first time since April 27 when he threw a 5-2 gem against Maloney in a winning effort.

Relieving starter Mike Roalf with no outs in the third inning and the bases loaded, Churchill walked in two runs but then pitched shutout ball the rest of the way.

Churchill allowed just three singles, struck out three, and no walks after those two free passes in the third tilt.

And then there was Connor Cyr with a run scoring single in the third and a two run, two-strike, base hit in the seventh when the Lancers picked up two insurance runs to snare its 6-3 edge.

After three miscues against Central, Eastern played errorless ball against Wethersfield.

Individually, Churchill made a slick play to end the second stanza.

Churchill, starting the showdown at third base with a runner on and two outs, charged a bunt down the third base line by Nick Farrelly.

The senior captain made a perfect throw to first to get Farrelly to help shutdown a rally.

Eastern’s Conor McCormick made a circus catch going away in deep center on a ball hit by the Eagles Cam Righi to end the fourth frame. 

In the fifth, when Noah Terzo led off with a single to left, the runner was cut down trying to reach second base via an excellent relay from Ben D’Amato to Cole Latko to Elliot Norris for the out.

Offensively, Cyr had two hits and three RBI while Preston Guarda added two hits to pace the Lancers.

Eastern took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first and never trailed again.  Churchill singled to right center, stole second, and came in to score on Guarda’s single that was grounded between first and second base – making it 1-0.

Wethersfield tied the game in the bottom of the inning on a rundown off a pickoff attempt, allowing a runner from third to score.

The Kingstreeters then scored three times in the third to take a 4-1 push.  

Norris led off by reaching first on an infield error and later moved to third on a wild pickoff throw.

He scored as McCormick beat out an infield single to short for an RBI tally and a 2-1 Eastern lead. 

McCormick then stole second and Cyr’s single to center scored the lead runner.  

From there, Guarda beat out an infield single on a slow chopper to third and D’Amato doubled to deep left to score Cyr as the Lancers scooped up a 4-1 cushion.

Wethersfield pitcher Chris Morales pitched well after that three run third, retiring eleven in a row through the end of the sixth inning.  

The bottom of the third saw Roalf allow two walks and a single to load the bases for Wethersfield, ending his afternoon on the hill. 

After getting a strikeout, Churchill walked the next two batters, both on full counts, to force in two Wethersfield runs that trimmed Eastern’s edge to 4-3.

But no further damage was done.

The game remained 4-3 in the top of the seventh as Eastern struck for two more runs.

Latko started the drive with a single to right while Norris sacrificed him to second.

The runner moved to third on a wild pitch and after McCormick was intentionally walked, he stole second. 

Churchill then walked to load the bases with Cyr at the dish.

And Cyr singled to left for two RBI and to push Eastern to a 6-3 tilt.

Churchill then retired the Eagles in order in the seventh as the Lancers earned a big three run win in Wethersfield.

Bristol Eastern Baseball – CCC Interdivisional Showdown  

BRISTOL EASTERN 6, WETHERSFIELD 3

from Wethersfield High School

Bristol Eastern (8-11)     103 000 2 – 6 8 0 

Wethersfield (15-5)     102 000 0 – 3 5 2 

Bristol Eastern: Mike Roalf, Jaydon Churchill (3) & Rio Fernandez; Wethersfield: Chris Morales, Anthony Pretter & Cam Righi.

WP: Mike Roalf (Bristol Eastern); LP: Chris Morales (Wethersfield. 

Bristol Eastern Batting  

2B – Ben D’Amato 

3B – None 

HR – None  

Wethersfield Batting  

2B – None

3B – None 

HR – None 

Records: Bristol Eastern 8-11 overall; Wethersfield 15-5