Boys’ Baseball 

Panthers, 

Putnam riding success

wave early

By Ron P. Coderre

A full slate of more than 20 baseball games were played this week as teams continued regular schedule play while making up contests that were previously derailed because of weather.

The Plainfield Panthers continued perfect after seven games as they put together four victories last week.  Putnam, which is also having one of its better seasons in years, was 3-0 on the week.  One third of the way through the spring season all teams seem to be settling in as the weather cooperates following the April showers that generally bring May flowers.

Perfection

Plainfield rode the strong arms of its pitching staff in posting four victories over some legitimate competitors.  The Panthers opened the week with a big 15-2 victory over archrival Griswold behind the tosses of Jordan Federer, who limited the Wolverines to four hits.  Federer helped his cause with a pair of doubles, while Mike Esposito contributed a home run.

Stepping up in divisional play Plainfield took the measure of ECC Large Division Fitch 14-7.  Winning pitcher Kyle Boardman was the beneficiary of a 16-hit Panther offensive attack.  Esposito flexed his home run muscles once again connecting for a four-bagger.  Esposito took the mound against Stonington and threw peas at the Bears, shutting them down 7-0 on a brilliant one-hitter.  He helped his cause with a pair of doubles.

The Panthers (7-0 & 2-0 ECC Medium) closed the week with a 14-3 romp over Windham behind the solid pitching of Federer, who raised his record to 3-0,  Esposito had two doubles, which accounted for three runs-batted-in.  Garet Griffin had two hits including a home run as he drove home four runs in the win.

Putnam took three tech schools over the coals this week in rolling over Grasso Tech, Ellis Tech and Prince Tech.  Three different hurlers picked up the victories with Tylor Genest beating Grasso, Josh Allard prevailing over Ellis Tech in nine innings and Nick Foucault beating Prince Tech.

Jacob Guertin with a triple was big offensive stick in the 13-5 win over Grasso.  Freshman Zach Cutler with a triple and a pair of RBI’s helped Allard, who struck out five, to the 6-3 nine-inning win over Ellis Tech.  The Clippers culminated a perfect week by beating Prince Tech 10-3 as Steve Dakai, Joe Hill and Allard all struck for doubles in the win.  Putnam is 5-2 overall and 5-1 in the CSC East Division.

Killingly gave first year head coach Dave Austin his initial win as a Redman beating Norwich Tech 5-4 in 10 innings.  Senior hurler Nick Hewitt was the winning pitcher, scattering nine Tech hits.  The Redmen (2-4) continued their winning ways rolling over Tourtellotte 10-1 as Hewitt raised his record to 2-0.  Tre Belanger had a triple for Killingly, which started the week by losing to East Lyme 9-3.

Tourtellotte was bombed by St. Bernard 20-5 before coming back with a 7-2 win over Wheeler.  The Tigers (2-5 & 1-2 ECC Small) were led by Jake Silvia who homered and drove in three runs.

Woodstock posted a pair of victories in three games, opening with a shutout 7-0 win over Stonington behind the tosses of winning pitcher Will Bourgeois who struck out 11 Bears.  Triples by Kolby Reggione and Trent Appleton paced the 11-hit Woodstock attack.  In a high-scoring affair the Centaurs prevailed 10-9 over a good St. Bernard team as Reggione and Appleton once again provided the offense for winning pitcher Jordan Adams.  Against ECC Large Division opponent Fitch, the 4-3 Centaurs didn’t fare so well losing 16-2 in a lopsided contest, which dropped them to 0-3 in the Large Division.

The surprising Ellis Tech Eagles had a pair of big wins sandwiched around their loss to Putnam.  The Techsters dropped Windham Tech 13-4 behind Jared Carignan (1-1) who scatted nine WT hits.  Conor Pion had a double and triple in the win.  In another show of offense Ellis Tech destroyed Parish Hill 19-4 with Pion picking up the win for the 2-5 and 2-2 CSC East Division Eagles.     

Marianapolis lost to Chase Collegiate 8-3 before bouncing back with a 15-2 win over Watkinson School raising its record to 2-2.  Pomfret School behind winning hurler Andrew Aikins took a classic 3-2 win over Berkshire.