Burlington tops Avon for D6 baseball title with dramatic sixth inning

Players from Burlington celebrate at home plate with Jackson Lord, who hit a game-winning home run to beat Avon, 8-6.

THOMASTON – After giving up a five-run lead in the District 6 Major League (ages 11-12) baseball championship game on Saturday at Reeves Field, Burlington went right back to work and won the game with two swings of the bat.

Avon scored four runs in the fifth and sixth innings to tie the game at 6-6. All three runs in the sixth came with two outs on a three-RBI triple from Jake Coppen.

But in the bottom of the sixth, leadoff batter Nick Finno ripped a single to left field. He was followed by Jackson Lord, who belted a long home run that easily cleared the left field fence to lift Burlington an exciting 8-6 victory over Avon and the District 6 championship.

 “This team never gives up,” Burlington coach Eric Groleau said. “We’ve been crushing the ball all summer.”

Burlington’s Jackson Lord.

Burlington advances to the Section II state tournament in Harwinton, a six-team double elimination event that begins Wednesday, July 17. It was Burlington’s third District 6 title and first since 2008.

Many of the players on this year’s championship team from Burlington beat Avon for the District 6 title in the 9-10 division two years ago and they showed plenty of toughness in this year’s Major Division tournament.

Burlington beat Avon two days earlier in the tournament in eight innings, 6-5. And in the first game of the double-elimination portion of the tournament, Burlington scored eight runs in the sixth inning to stun Granby, 8-7.

“Our pitching has been solid and I knew we would be able to score a lot of runs,” Groleau said. “The question was how solid our fielding and defense would be.”

Burlington (7-1) took charge immediately, scoring four runs in the first inning. Lord had a two-RBI triple and Ricky Cizeski followed with a two-run home run. They extended the lead to 5-0 in the second inning on a RBI single from Finno.

Avon cut the lead to three runs with a pair of runs but Burlington quickly responded with another run in the third inning on a second RBI single from Finno for a 6-2 lead.

Burlington’s starting pitcher Quin Kirsten did well, scattering six hits and striking out four in 5 2/3rd innings of work.

Avon’s Kyle Zarwanski slides into home in front of Burlington catcher James Rasmussen to tie the game a 6-6.

Avon (5-3) wouldn’t go away. In the eight inning loss to Burlington earlier in the tournament, they had erased a five-run lead before falling.

“We played as a team and there was absolutely no quit in them,” Avon manager John Couture said. “They were a baseball team that played the game the right way.”

In the fifth inning, Bill Kritikus led off with a double and Mike Suski followed with a single. After Kirsten got two outs, Avon catcher Chris Angus ripped an RBI double to center field to cut the lead to three runs, 6-3.

Avon reliever Will Thramann took over in the fourth and held Burlington at bay, striking out three in the fourth and allowing just one base runner in the fifth inning.

In the sixth inning, a two-out single from Suski and a walk to Kyle Zarwanski loaded the bases. Coppen’s triple tied the game at 6-6.

“We’ve had timely hitting all season long,” Couture said.

That set the stage for Burlington’s heroics in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Burlington had 13 hits in the game, led by Lord with three hits and four RBI. He had a single, triple and home run. Finno and Matt Gilbert were each 3-for-4 for Burlington while Lacourciere had two hits, including a double.

For Avon, Coppen had a single, triple and three RBI. Suski was 3-for-3 with three singles. Avon was playing in the District 6 final for the 10th straight year. They had won in 2011 and 2012. 

Burlington 8, Avon 6
At Thomaston
Avon (5-3)                        002  013 – 6-8-2
Burlington (7-1)                411  002 – 8-13-2
Jake Coppen, Will Thramann (4) and Chris Angus; Quin Kirsten, Jackson Lord (5) and James Rasmussen, Ross Coyle (4), Rasmussen (5); WP: Lord; LP: Thramman; 2B: Owen Lacourciere (B), Bill Kritikus (A); 3B: Coppen (A); Lord (B); HR: Lord (B), Ricky Cizeski (B)

Recent championship games
District 6 Major Division baseball (ages 11-12)

2012: Avon 16, Burlington 2 (4)
2011: Avon 11, Torrington Americans 7
2010: Simsbury Americans 9, Avon 7
2009: Avon 12, Simsbury Americans 2
2008: Burlington 7, Avon 5
2007: Avon 8, Thomaston 0
2006: Simsbury National 4, Avon 3
2005: Avon 15, Simsbury Nationals 4 (4)
2004: Avon 8, Simsbury Americans 2
2003: Simsbury American 12, Simsbury Nationals 2 (5)
2002: Simsbury Americans 1, Avon 0
2001: Burlington 8, Torrington Nationals 4
2000: Terryville 6, Torrington Nationals 1
1999: Tri-Town 7, Granby 6
1998: Simsbury Nationals 7, Tri-Town 6
1997: Simsbury Americans 8, Terryville 3
1996: Torrington Americans 10. Simsbury National 0
1995: Simsbury 10-9, Terryville 4-6 (best of 3 final)
1994: Torrington American
1993: Avon
1992: Granby
1991: Avon
1990: SImsbury
1989: Simsbury
1988: Canton
1987: Simsbury
1986: Thomaston
1985: Simsbury
1984: Canaan
1983: Torrington National
1982: Torrington National
1981: Simsbury
1980: Simsbury
1979: Torrington American
1978: Simsbury
1977: Canton
1976: Torrington National
1975: Simsbury South
1974: Simsbury South
1973: Torrington American
1972: Winsted
1971: Torrington American

Other District 6 championships
Simsbury: 1970, 1969, 1968, 1966, 1965, 1964, 1963, 1962, 1961, 1960, 1959
Winsted: 1967
Farmington: 1958
Quinnebaug Valley: 1957