By Michael Letendre

BRISTOL – The Bristol Senior American Legion team has some very good talent to turn to this year.

Head coach Jerry LaPenta knows he has several players that can slip into multiple positions around the diamond and that versatility has always been a staple of Post 2’s baseball programs.

“We have a nice balance and nice depth,” said LaPenta of this year’s team.

While there’s an established crew in the Bristol lineup, LaPenta will also get support from four dual rostered players – guys that compete at both the Senior and Junior American Legion levels throughout the summer.

And it’s a boatload of Bristol Eastern talent that will earn time on both squads.

Michael Roalf (pitcher/shortstop), Ryan Maglio (pitcher/infield), Connor Cyr (IF/OF), and Rio Fernandez (catcher) are a talented foursome that can step up for some of those veteran players when the need arises.

Those guys will get invaluable experience playing with the Senior crew and then turn around to help Junior’s coach Bill Mason keep his program successful as well.

And over the first to zone games, those players have already been relatively busy, come off the pine to pinch-run or in starting assignments.

Fernandez was pressed into duty on Monday against West Hartford and did a credible job catching for Matt Beaucar.

He also has a stick to match at the plate and will continue to back up Chris Osuch at catcher.

“I thought Rio played really well tonight for a sophomore,” said LaPenta of Fernandez. “His swings are coming along…he’s a big kid”

He had a good accounting at the plate against West Hartford and played pretty well during the scholastic campaign over at Eastern – under head coach Steve Gaudet.

Fernandez had 10 hits for Eastern this year, walked 13 times, and added six RBI while Maglio was 3-4 from the mound, carrying a 4.20 ERA to go along with a team-leading 37 strikeouts.

Roalf’s ERA of 3.78 was just under the team average at Eastern, going 2-4 overall. 

He fanned 29 batters while Cyr was a tremendous batter for the Kingstreeters, posting a .349 average, roped up 15 hits, walked six times and was a slick 8-for-8 in the stolen base department.

Those players will be of immense help along the way in 2022 for Bristol.

“I’m happy with [Fernandez] and the other three guys we dual-rostered,” said LaPenta. “They all are going to contribute.”