By Michael Letendre

NEW BRITAIN – After a bit of rain on Monday, the Connecticut Twilight Baseball League resumed postseason play on Tuesday with a doubleheader from Beehive Field in New Britain.

And in an elimination game, the Bristol Blues and Southington Aftershock put together an entertaining seven-inning battle.

The ninth ranked Knights scooped up an early edge in the affair but the fourth rated Aftershock tallied four straight runs to eventually snare a 4-2 win, advancing in CTL postseason play.

Bristol fell to 4-16-2 to wrap up the 2022 campaign while Southington improved to 12-9-1.

It was a good pitcher’s duel between Southington’s Jacobi Bouchard and Bristol’s Mark Damaschi.

Bouchard threw a five inning, one-run, two-hit gem that included five Ks to earn the win while Damaschi (four runs, six hits, eight Ks, four walks) went the distance for the Knights over the tough luck loss.

But Bristol was the first squad to crack the scoreboard that evening.

The top of the first saw Bristol’s Mark Creamer (2-for-3, walk, RBI) reach on an error after his fielder’s choice was thrown away at first base. 

He moved to third base on a wild pitch and veteran Earl Oakes plastered a single up the gut to score Creamer as the Knights led 1-0 just a half-inning into things.

In the bottom of the first, the Aftershock attempted to stage a two-out rally.

Shane Fusco (2-for-3, two runs scored, RBI) ripped a base hit up the middle, advanced to second via a wild pitch, and former Knights’ standout Tommy Stagis (1-for-2, walk, two RBI) worked a full count on Damaschi – earning a walk to put two on.

But Derek Veenema looked at strike three to end the threat as Bristol carried its 1-0 edge into the second stanza of play.

Damaschi picked up K number three and four in the bottom of the second and through two, Bristol still led it by a run.

Creamer hit a two out nubber to short left-center field in the third tilt but was called out at second on Oakes’ fielder’s choice and Southington answered with two runs in the bottom of the frame – seizing the lead for good.

With two away, an error at first allowed a runner to reach base and when Fusco drew a base-on-balls, Stagis squared off against Damaschi with ducks on the pond.

Each runner advanced a base via a wild pitch and then Stagis cracked a single through the hole between first and second – clearing the bases – as the Aftershock seized a 2-1 push through three.

Bouchard continued to hang tough, even as an infield error allowed a two-out baserunner for the Knights in the fourth.

Bristol’s Adam Tedesco ended the jaunt with a groundout to second as Southington maintained its slim 2-1 edge.

In the bottom of the fourth, the Aftershock attempted to pad its lead but Damaschi wiggled out of the jam.

Patrick Kelley and Kyle Daddona punched through base hits to put two on and after steals, Southington eventually had men in scoring position at second and third.

But Damaschi generated his sixth strikeout and when Johnny Blais flew out to left, the fourth inning was put in the books as Bristol still trailed by a single run, 2-1.

After Bouchard fanned the first two batters he faced in the fifth, Bristol drew a couple full-count walks, putting Oakes at the dish.

Oakes also drew a 3-2 count but flew out to right to end the threat with the Aftershock hanging tough at 2-1.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Aftershock added a couple insurance runs.

Back-to-back singles, sandwiched around an error, saw Fusco drill an RBI base hit up the middle as Southington secured a 3-1 lead.

Fusco then swiped two bases and scored on a passed ball to propel Southington to a 4-1 cushion through five.

Bristol’s Justin Martella slipped in a well-placed infield single with one gone in the top of the sixth – the Knights’ first hit since the third tilt – but the Knights struck out three times over the frame as Southington continued to lead by three.

Damaschi allowed two walks but struck out two in the bottom of the sixth as the chucker held the fort, hoping the Knights’ offense will pull out the victory late.

And the Knights made a real run at it in the top of the seventh.

Joe Acampora and Jasiel Tejada each walked to open the final frame and with one gone, Creamer slapped a single to the gap in left, plating the lead runner, as Bristol trimmed the deficit to 4-2.

And then with runners at first and second, Bristol had two good chances with its third and fourth batters up to tie or go ahead in the showdown.

But Oakes and Colby Jones both struck out to end the game as the Knights fell by two runs to exit the Connecticut Twilight League playoffs over the 4-2 loss.

NOTES…In the nightcap, top seeded Terryville Black Sox downed the New Britain Rock Cats by a 5-3 final…At Riverfront Field in Glastonbury on that same night, No. 7 Wethersfield knocked off No. 6 Connecticut Orioles 7-1 while the second ranked Elmer’s Angels were shutout by No. 3 Rocky Hill Rockies by a 4-0 final…The CTL Championship will be determined next week from Muzzy Field in Bristol…The Knights won its opening round playoff game against No. 8 Enfield Patriots last Friday, 1-0, as Bristol eventually finished postseason play at 1-1.

Connecticut Twilight League – Playoff Round

No. 4 SOUTHINGTON AFTERSHOCK 4, No. 9 BRISTOL KNIGHTS 2

from Beehive Field, New Britain

Bristol (4-16-2)                      100 000 1 – 2 4 2

Southington (12-9-1)             002 020 0 – 4 6 1  

WP – Jacobi Bouchard(Southington); LP – Mark Damaschi (Bristol)

LOB – Bristol 7; Southington 7.

Records: Southington 12-9-1; Bristol 4-16-2.

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