By Michael Letendre
BRISTOL – When the Bristol Blues beat their first-round opponent in the New England Collegiate Baseball League playoffs, the locals had some real momentum heading into the Final Four.
After dropping its opener to the Valley Blue Sox on Monday, July 31, the Blues were able to win the next two games – earning a 2-1 victory in quarterfinal play and went immediately into the semifinal round.
With the stakes a lot higher, how would the Blues fare against the Stanford Mainers?
How about a two-game sweep of the program to earn its shot at the NECBL championship?
It’s been a good week of baseball for the Blues (25-19-1 overall) and the triumph over Stanford was as good as it gets.
With a possible NECBL championship in the cards for the Blues’ sometime this week, here’s how the locals were able to sweep its way by the Mainers in another best-of-three showdown:
Best-of-three semifinals against the Sanford Mariners – Final Four
Game 1 – Bristol Blues 12, Sanford Mariners 7 – Thursday, August 3
*Bristol never trailed in its showdown against Sanford and every time the home team notched a run, the Blues had a response.
In a 1-1 stalemate going into the seventh stanza, the Blues notched four runs in the seventh and then added another seven in the eighth to snare a 12-3 edge, never looking back.
Bristol’s Griffin Arnone unleashed a home run, collecting a run and three RBI to lead the offensive charge.
Joey Rios smacked out three hits – including an RBI – while Tyler Fote (two runs, two RBI), Billy Sullivan (two runs) and Connor Goodman (walk, RBI) collected two hits apiece over the winning effort.
Bristol starter Randy Reyes threw extremely well but just missed out factoring into the ultimate decision.
Reyes went 5.1 innings, allowed two hits, one earned run and walked three while fanning three.
A quick relief stint by Jaden Wywoda (0.2 IP, one K) earned the chucker a 14-pitch win.
The contest, played from Goodall Park in Sanford, Maine, is a 3:30 hour trip from Bristol, and the Blues’ squad – if it could help it – did not want to go back up I-495 for a third and final game against the Mariners on the road.
Game 2 – Bristol Blues 4, Sanford Mariners 2 – Friday, August 4
*A third and final game was not needed between the squads as Bristol won the second contest by two runs, punching its ticket to the NECBL championship round.
But Bristol, with 805 eager fans looking on from Muzzy Field, had to overcome a 2-0 mid-game deficit to finally send the opponents back home to Maine.
In the bottom of the fifth, Fote walked, stole second with two away, and a single to center by Skye Selinsky forced the lead runner home as Bristol was on the board, trailing 2-1.
Then in the sixth, Rios and Sullivan slammed out back-to-back singles and a sacrifice fly from Ian Battipaglia scored Rios as the game was all knotted up at 2-2 entering the critical seventh stanza.
And finally, the winning run came and went as a single to right by Parrillo scored Gavin Noriega as the Blues secured a 3-2 edge, never allowing Maine to take it away from home standing Bristol.
Starting pitcher Danny Macchiarola was sensational for the Blues but did not factor into the ultimate decision.
He went six innings, allowed just four hits on two runs, walking just one while posting five strikeouts.
The win came out of the bullpen for Bristol again as Chad Fedeli was simply lights out over his 19 pitch, four strikeout showing – snaring the ‘W’ in the process.
Brent Francisco (1 IP, two Ks) picked up Bristol’s first save of the postseason as the Blues earned a shot at a NECBL title against the Newport Gulls – a 16-6 victor over the Danbury Westerners to set up the Fay Vincent, Sr. Cup Championship.
It’s going to be the Gulls going up against the Blues this week for all the marbles.
The NECBL Championship Series
The Fay Vincent, Sr. Cup commences on Sunday, August 6 in one final best-of-three challenge.
Games 1 and 3 (if necessary) will be played at Cardines Field in Newport, Rhode Island while Game 2 takes place from Muzzy Field on Monday.
All games are set for a 6:30 p.m. start time.
NOTES…Bristol outhit Sanford 22-13 over the two-pack of games…Danbury had to win its game against Newport on Saturday to force the best-of-three series to a winner-take-all showdown on Sunday but could not…The Blues have yet to lose a playoff game in regulation this year…Newport (34-12 overall) is 3-1 in postseason play, winners of three straight and had the best record in NECBL play this season.
