By Michael Letendre
Bristol Central softball stud Sam Sklenka won’t be playing in any softball championships from Frank DeLuca Field in Stratford this coming spring.
That’s because if Sklenka and the Rams qualify for the championship round for the second consecutive season, and there’s a good possibility of that coming to pass, the title tilt will be held from a brand-new destination.
The Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference will hold its four 2023 softball state championship games at the University of Connecticut’s Burrill Family Field Softball Complex.
The decision marks a drastic change in venue as DeLuca Field has been a staple for state championships over the years as both Bristol Central and Bristol Eastern softball teams have competed for state titles in Stratford over the years.
But the change is a good one as the set up at UCONN is a tremendous upgrade.
The state-of-the-art facility at Burrill Family Field, which ranks among the finest in the northeast, opened in 2021 and will be an excellent host site for the championship games.
According to a release from the CIAC, Burrill Family Field “will offer student-athletes, coaches and spectators a first-class experience.”
So, instead of a trip down to the shore, it’s going to be a jaunt up to Storrs which could include stops for tasty ice cream, gooey calzones, hot chocolate chip cookies and the chance to play at an amazing field and venue.
“The CIAC is thrilled to offer student-athletes the opportunity to play at UCONN,” said CIAC Executive Director, Glenn Lungarini. “UCONN’s staff has been great to work with and share CIAC’s excitement in bringing CIAC State Championships to Connecticut’s premier softball facility. The experiences student-athletes will have at UCONN are sure to create lifetime memories and inspire every team on their road to Storrs.”
The 2023 CIAC softball state championship games in all classes (S, M, L and LL) are scheduled for Saturday June 10th.
To end the scholastic softball season, Bristol Central, the 2022 Class LL runner-up and Bristol Eastern, a semifinalist from the Class L bracket last year, hopes to end its season up in Storrs at the brand-new field.
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