By Michael Letendre

MERIDEN – Dylan Woodsome is a dual threat on the Bristol Senior American Legion baseball team, make no mistake about it.

And when ‘Woody’ was pressed into duty on the mound on Sunday in the first game of a doubleheader at Meriden, he chucked four innings of scoreless ball.

On the flip side, Woodsome also dropped in the game-winning hit in the ninth and final inning – helping Bristol secure a 10-7 Zone 1 victory over Meriden from Ceppa Field.

“He saved our bacon yesterday (at Torrington) and today,” said Bristol coach Jerry LaPenta of Woodsome. “And then he gets a huge hit. He’s just a gamer. For a kid that dislocated his shoulder two weeks ago, to come out here and be ready to go, he’s just a great kid.”

“I just love having him on the team.”

Woodsome, who hurt his shoulder sliding into third base against Simsbury on June 17, was on the money – allowing just one hit, striking out two and gave himself and his team a chance to win the game in the ninth.

“It felt good,” said Woodsome of his pitching effort. “It was my second time on the mound in a while. My arm, it’s coming back from shoulder issues. But it felt pretty good today.”

After Woodsome generated the game-winning hit, No. 9 batter Chris Osuch – with the bases loaded – dropped in a huge two-run double to make it a three run push in the ninth.

It would be a deficit that was simply too big to overcome.

“Chris gets a huge 0-2 hit and gives us a three-run cushion,” said LaPenta of Osuch’s double. 

Luis Delgado lost the contest for Meriden in relief while Woodsome (1-0) earned his first win.

To start the festivities, Post 2 notched four first inning runs.

Elliot Norris started the fun with a first pitch bunt hit but was picked off trying to steal second base.

After Jayden Churchill (2-for-4, two runs) dropped a one-out single to center, it was hit and run time.

With Churchill taking off from first, Adam Caron (2-for-3, three runs, RBI) drilled a one-hopper to center as the lead runner hustled all the way to third – putting men on the corners.

Then the ‘Bristol pickle’ was invoked – eventually netting Post 2 a run.

Caron took off for second, baiting a throw, as Churchill stole home to make it a 1-0 game.

But there was more to come.

Ryan Fradette (1-for-2, three walks) drew a base-on-balls to put two on and then Tyler Stickels (two RBI) hit a bomb to the gap in right – clearing the bases – as the triple gave Post 2 a 3-0 push.

And then Stickels came home on a Tyler Martin (two walks) sac fly to left – making the Meriden deficit 4-0.

Dylan Woodsome then walked to get on and when Ryan Maglio flew out to right to end an eventful first frame, Bristol starting pitcher Roberto Cruz (5 IP, 3 Ks, 9 hits) already had four runs in hand before throwing a pitch.

Meriden got a run back in the bottom of the first as Delgado’s RBI single to right got the home team on the board.

Bristol went right back at it in the second stanza as Gabe Zamakano took over on the hill for starter Dylan Gay (1 IP, 4 ER).

Churchill dropped a base hit into left and then Caron absolutely clobbered a ball to deep center – plating Churchill – as Post 2 snared a 5-1 lead.

And then Fradette unleashed a bomb over the fence in left for a two-run homer – his third rounder tripper of the campaign – as Bristol built up a 7-1 edge through an inning-and-a-half.

Post 45 got one run back off a ‘Meriden pickle’ as Connor Bennett scored from third on a double steal but Post 2 led 7-2 after two. 

In the third, Bristol’s Ryan Maglio lofted a blooper into left but never advanced while Meriden went quietly in the bottom of the tilt as well.

Post 45 nabbed a run in the bottom of the fourth as a sac fly by Griffin Papallo brought another man home as Meriden trimmed the deficit to 7-3.

Fradette and Martin drew walks in the top of the fifth but neither runner scored while Cruz started heating up in the bottom of the inning – picking up two strikeouts as Bristol maintained its 7-3 edge into sixth.

Bristol loaded the baes with two away in the bottom of the sixth as Churchill walked, Caron was hit by a pitch while Fradette drew a base-on-balls but no one scored.

Bristol got in trouble in the bottom of the sixth as Meriden’s first five batters reached safely.

After three consecutive singles, Kelvin Miranda and John Smith nabbed RBI walks as the deficit was trimmed to 7-5.

Woodsome came in for Cruz as Max Giacco and Luis Delgado etched up back-to-back sacrifice flies to tie the event up at 7-7 going into the seventh.

Meriden put two on in the seventh but a 4-3 double play – cued by a slick catch by Cruz at second base and toss over to first – forced the game into extra innings.

“Woody’s on the mound and Meriden had first and second with only one out and we got out of it,” said LaPenta.

Post 2 went down in order in the eighth as Bristol eventually went 25 straight batters without a hit, a streak that started with two gone in the third inning.

But Woodsome was dealing in the eighth frame, fanning the first two batters he faced, before inducing a groundout as the 7-7 stalemate moved into the top of the ninth.

And Woodsome made Delgado pay on the hill in the ninth.

Caron walked and with two away and Martin also drew four balls to put two on.

From there, Woodsome cracked a single through shortstop, scoring Caron, as Post 2 reassumed the edge for good at 8-7.

“That felt pretty good because, you know, I haven’t been hitting the ball too well recently,” said Woodsome. “Getting out of slump and hitting right there, it felt good.”

From there, Osuch doubled into center, plating two for a little insurance, as Bristol etched up a 10-7 cushion.

Woodsome generated two fly ball outs in the bottom of the ninth but hit Gay to extend the inning.

But Bennett grounded out to second base to end the game as Bristol squared up a three run win.

“We’ve never tucked tail and run,” said LaPenta. “There’s been some games where was easily could have tucked our tail there when we let them get back and tie it up. Today, we [closed it out].”

Bristol Senior American Legion Baseball – Zone 1 Game

BRISTOL 10, MERIDEN 7 

from Ceppa Field, Meriden

Bristol (8-5)  430 000 003 – 10 10 2  

Meriden (3-10)  110 104 000 – 7 9 1

WP – Roberto Cruz (Bristol); LP – Dylan Gay (Meriden) 

Bristol Batting 

2B – Adam Caron, Chris Osuch

3B – Tyler Stickles

HR – Ryan Fradette

Meriden Batting 

2B – Bruce Candeloka

3B – None 

HR – None

LOB – Bristol 9; Meriden 8

Records: Bristol 8-6 overall (8-5 Zone 1); Meriden 3-10 overall.