By Michael Letendre

MIDDLETOWN – The Senior American Legion Baseball program from RCP  has been a thorn in the side of Bristol over the last decade or so – especially in postseason play.

But on Thursday night, the 17U teams from both programs squared off from Xavier High School in regular season action.

And the score wasn’t even close as Post 2 ripped up a huge 22-5 victory over RCP to move to 6-0 overall.

The win propelled Bristol to first place in the Zone 3 standings while RCP dropped to 2-2 overall.

In terms of scoring, Post 2 actually trailed out the gate by a 1-0 push.

However, RCP allowed Bristol to score runs over innings two though five with disastrous results.

Post 2 zipped up eight runs in the second stanza, a half-dozen more in the third, one over the fourth and when Bristol scooped up seven runs in the fifth to seize its tremendous 22-run push, the showdown was all but over.

Five players from the Mum City had multi-hit games.

Gabe White (six RBI) and Brian Grabowski (two RBI) each tallied three hits while Caleb Simard, Drew Martineau (four RBI) and Mason Harris (five RBI) all added two hits apiece.

Gavin Colvin, Jonathan Montgomery and Tate Stevens each blasted out a hit to pace the Bristol offense.

For the game, Bristol batted .405 (15-of-37) while on the flip side, RCP just couldn’t solve Post 2’s pitching staff despite a four-run fourth.

Montgomery won the contest for Bristol over three innings and threw just 57 pitches.

Colvin and Caleb Molinsky also threw an inning apiece for the winners as Bristol remained undefeated to that point of the campaign..

NOTES…On Friday, Bristol completed its suspended game against Tri-County which was stuck at 8-8 before darkness shutdown it down after seven innings. The game was completed at East Hampton High School as Tri-County had a runner on first base. A botched pickoff play sent the man to third and moments later, a passed ball the runner as Bristol fell for the first time this season by a 9-8 final. Post 2 ended the night at 6-1 and had, going into the top of the seventh, an 8-5 lead over Tri-County before three runs foiled the game.

Bristol American Legion Baseball – Zone 3, Junior Division

BRISTOL 22, RCP (5)

from Xavier High School, Middletown

Bristol (6-0-1)            086 17 – 22 15 1 

RCP (2-2)                   100 40 – 5 6 3

WP – Jonathan Montgomery (Bristol); LP – Matt Potenza (RCP)

Records: Bristol 6-0-1 overall; RCP 2-2.