By Michael Letendre 

BRISTOL – Bristol starts its playoff run today as the 19U American Legion Baseball program from town takes on Tri-County in a big-time, first round bout. 

Well, it was originally supposed to be Tri-County but in a late day change, Zone 3 challenger Northeast slotted into Bristol’s pod instead.

Now, Post 2 is squaring off against the Northeast program for the first time this season.

Game time is 1 p.m. from Muzzy Field and the contest should be one heck of a battle. 

Pitcher Matt Beaucar is slated to start on the hill for Post 2. 

He carries a record of 2-4 this season, having his share of hard-luck losses along the way. 

Bristol is ranked 11th overall in postseason play (10-6 in Zone 1, .625), rated second in Pod ‘C.’ 

And in the Northern Division, Pod C, Bristol is lumped in with No. 2 Waterford (21-3), No. 19 Northeast (11-11) and No. 24 Enfield (9-13).  

It’s a double elimination format and Post 2, at the very least, will have two postseason games to play. 

Overall in Connecticut’s postseason fray, West Hartford (16-0) is ranked first and did not lose a game in Zone 1 competition this season while Waterford was the second best team in the state record wise. 

Each victor of the eight pods advances to next Saturday’s Super Regional brackets, taking place from both Bristol and Middletown. 

Post 2 hopes to be one of the four teams remaining that makes it back to Muzzy Field. 

Bristol has won five of seven games in July and looks to continue its upwards trend in tournament play against three very good opponents in Pod C.  

If healthy, Post 2 has star chucker Roberto Cruz slated for Sunday’s game. 

The veteran went 4-0 in 2022 and has not tasted defeat in quite some time. 

2022 Connecticut State Tournament (32 Teams)

Northern Division – Pod Breakdown

Pod ‘A’ – No. 1 West Hartford (1.000 winning percentage), No. 8 Ellington (.727), No. 16 Norwich (.583), and No. 31 NLC/Windsor Locks (.273).

Pod ‘B’ – No. 3 Middletown (.864), No. 15 Danielson (.563), No. 27 Tri-Town (.375), and No. 29 Torrington (.313).

Pod ‘C’ – No. 2 Waterford (.975), No. 11 Bristol (.625), No. 19 Northeast (.500), and No. 24 Enfield (.409).

Pod ‘D’ – No. 5 Willimantic (.826), No. 6 RCP (.818), No. 21 Tri-County (.477), and No. 25 Simsbury (.382).

Southern Division – Pod Breakdown

Pod ‘E’ – No. 9 Hamden (.667), No. 17 Greenwich (.563), No. 22 Fairfield (.456), and No. 23 Milford (.444).

Pod ‘F’ – No. 7 Stamford (.750), No. 13 Madison (.611), Westport (.500), and No. 26 Glastonbury (.381).

Pod ‘G’ – No. 4 West Haven (.833), No. 14 Trumbull (.583), No. 30 Branford (.278), and No. 32 Moosup (.208).

Pod ‘H’ – No. 10 Danbury (.667), No. 12 North Haven (.611), No. 18 Ridgefield (.542), and No. 28 EHM (.357).

Tournament Notes

Moosup is the lowest ranked squad in the playoff mix this season, going 5-19 overall – finishing last in the Northern Division of Zone 6.

The squad defeated Jewett City three times, Danielson, and Tri-Town.

Out of the Tournament

The strangest thing about the postseason this year is the one team from Zone 1 that did not qualify for the playoffs.

Meriden (3-13) was the lone team out of the postseason and the omission of Post 45 was a strange one.

The squad is talented and well coached but sometimes, that isn’t enough.

Post 45 dropped an early season loss on Bristol this year – sizing up a 5-3 victory over Post 2 on June 16 – and then won a 4-3 decision at Simsbury three days later.

After starting the campaign at 2-2, Meriden limped to a 1-11 finish, eventually falling out of state tournament contention.

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