- Details
- Category: Past Issues
Little
League's
1st-place
battle
POMFRET --- In the Sgt Joe Phaneuf Pomfret Eastford Little League last week, it was standing room only at the Pomfret Little league field June 2 as the Pete’s Drive In Dodgers and Archambault Insurance Red Sox met. The script could not have been orchestrated better as the teams were tied for first place in the Pomfret Eastford Division heading into the final week of the season.
June 2 Coach Gagnon handed the ball to team ace Conor Hanlon as he reminded the Dodgers that their team was built on defense and to be proud of their ability to hold their opponents. The home team Red Sox’s pep talk reminded the lads that they should play hard and play as a team. Coach Archambault handed the ball to Lefty Dan Whittenburg another of the league’s most consistent pitchers.
The Dodgers scored a run in the top of the first as Nate DeLuca doubled and Kyle Lingard drove him in with a base hit. Then the pitching took over for both teams as Whittenburg and Hanlon silenced the offense. In the Top of the 4th the Dodgers chalked up another as Danny Harrington drove in the 2nd run of the game. Hanlon knocked in another run in the 5th and speedy Bruce Dexter legged a 4th run in the 6th. Meanwhile Hanlon held the Red Sox hitless with 14 strike outs until he hit his maximum pitch count after 5 full innings. In the sixth Kyle Lingard came in and closed out the game with 2 strike outs and a grounder. The final tally was a combined no hit shut out with 16 strike outs and only 2 runners reaching base.
June 5 the two teams met again as Ben DiIorio took the mound for the Red Sox against Alec Aleszczyk for the Dodgers. In the bottom of the 1st red hot Danny Harrington led off with a double. Followed by a base on balls then Conor Hanlon hit a 3 run homer and the Dodgers jumped to a 3-0 lead. In the 2nd inning the Dodgers loaded the bases when Aleszczyk decided to help his pitching and hit one over the scoreboard for a grand slam and his first home run. The Dodgers added a couple more and then in the 4th Hanlon hit his second dinger of the game and 5th on the season. Zach Gagnon doubled and then 9 year old Luke Mathewson awed the crowd with a deep fly ball that landed 3 feet in front of the fence knocking in Gagnon for the 11-1 mercy rule to end the game. Aleszczyk went the distance for the win as Gagnon and Harrington had two hits for the victors. Jack Archambault continued his hitting with a 2 for 2 game and played a solid short stop and Tyler Lefevbre had some great web gems at 2B.
The Championship Game of the Sergeant Joseph Phaneuf Little League will be played at 3 p.m. June 12 between the Pomfret Eastford Champions and the Putnam Champions. The location for the game will be at the higher seeds home field and will be posted on the league web site pomfretll.com
Sgt Joe Phaneuf Little League
Final Regular Season Standings
Team GP W L PCT
Chase Graphics - (Putnam Dodgers)
10 8 2 0.800
Pete’s Drive-In (Dodgers)
10 8 2 0.800
Archambault Insurance (Red Sox)
10 6 4 0.600
Putnam Vision Center (Red Sox)
10 4 6 0.400
Paquette Electric (Tigers)
10 2 8 0.200
Putnam Police (Pirates)
10 2 8 0.200