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Playoff week is always full of surprises. It’s a chance for teams to right their ships and save an otherwise frustrating season. It is a chance for the stars on each team to shine and try to show each other who the top dog is. It is a chance to dethrone the champs, and show them who the boss is.
In the first round of the Putnam playoff The Vision Center Red Sox hosted the Police Association Pirates. The Pirates jumped out to a 6-1 lead with big hits from Scott Davagian and Brevon Harmon.
Zach Cutler tripled and drove in Angelo Desalvio.
The Pirates were cruising with Josh Allard on the mound who was nearly unhittable, as usual.
Josh pitched into the 3rd inning when he was lifted for a reliever and had his Pirates winning 6-1. He would be needed for the next game and could not go over a very strict pitch limit. With Allard off of the mound the Red Sox found their stride and starting scoring runs by the handful. Kyle Ciquera homered, again. Nicholas Foucault hit two doubles and Kristian Burke went 4-4 as the Sox battered the Pirates bullpen for 17 runs and won the game 18-9. After the game the Pirates and their coach celebrated a good season and gave a big cheer to the incredible speech by Angelo Desalvio. Anglo told his teammates, ”I’ve been playing Little League a long time ;this has been my favorite year. I love my coach, I love my teammates!”
In the Putnam championship Jacob Guertin and Nicholas Foucault dueled off the mound on a rain-soaked night. Each pitcher is their team's best and proved that by blanking the other team into the fourth inning when the game was halted due to poor conditions.
The game would be completed on closing day, two days later.
Due to Little League pitching regulations Guertin was not allowed to continue June 12 and the Red Sox prevailed, 2-1. Kyle Ciquera hit a two-run home run off of the Dodgers, his sixth of the season.
It was the only hit the Red Sox got, and the only one they needed. Reed Hopkins made a run saving catch in the outfield off of Jeremee Perez. Aiden Ciquera was a virtual backstop at second base, not allowing a ball through. As the Red Sox defenses tightened, Foucault turned the heat up on the mound and the Dodgers couldn’t find the answers.
They left runners stranded every inning and the bases loaded in the fifth.
The Red Sox, being crowned the Putnam champions, sped off to Pomfret to compete for the Phaneuf League Championship. Without Foucault they turned to Kristian Burke on the mound who kept it close for three innings until the Pomfret Dodgers exploded to a 6-1 lead with Conor Hanlon leading the way with a three-run homer.
Putnam tried to keep it close with defensive play. Ben Heaney made a running catch in right field to save a run. Aiden Ciquers caught a bullet a second base and doubled a runner off first. Nicholas Foucault was amazing at shortstop stopping everything hit his way and gunning runners down at every base.
The Pomfret squad held onto their lead, and took the 3-foot high trophy home to Pomfret. where it will stay until next year.
The Putnam Little League will be announcing its All Star Team next week. The boys will compete in the International Little League Tournament and be vying for the privilege to represent Connecticut in the championship at Bristol and Williamsport, Penn.