
Simsbury’s E.J. Lavoie, left, had two hits Sunday in a loss to RCP while Dakota Hunter had a double.
BRISTOL – Simsbury and RCP waited a long time to hit the field Sunday in the American Legion baseball state tournament at Muzzy Field. Rain delayed the opening game with Waterford and Tolland until 3 p.m.
And then Waterford and Tolland engaged in a titanic struggle. Waterford scored twice in the ninth inning to the game at 4-4 and the game went deep in extra innings until Tolland’s Ben Clough hit a solo home run in the bottom of the 15th inning to give Tolland the victory.
RCP, the Zone 7 champions from Rocky Hill, Cromwell and Portland, made short work of Simsbury Sunday night. Undefeated RCP pitcher Jake Regula (8-0) went the distance, pitching nine innings, scattering five hits and striking out 10 to lead RCP to a 7-2 victory. The game took a little less than two hours.
The win puts RCP Post 105 (21-4) in the Northern Division championship game on Tuesday night at 6:30 p.m. Simsbury (21-7) will face Tolland on Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. with the winner facing RCP immediately following that contest.
If Simsbury or Tolland can beat RCP on Tuesday night, a second championship game would be played Wednesday night at 6:30 p.m.
Hard-hitting RCP had four extra-base hits led by second baseman Corey Baldwin, who was 4-for-4 with two singles, a double, triple and two RBI. Shortstop Christian Budzik had a double and two RBI while catcher Kevin Radziewicz had a double. First baseman Logan Lessard had two singles and one RBI.
Simsbury couldn’t stop Baldwin.
RCP scored in four innings and he was in the middle of each rally. In the second inning, Baldwin led off with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Alex Ramirez. He moved to third on a single from Lessard. He scored on a fielder’s choice.
In the fourth inning, Baldwin doubled and scored on a RBI single from Lessard. In the sixth, Baldwin singled and Ramirez reached on a bunt single. Baldwin moved to third on a fielder’s choice. Joshua Zawisa was hit by a pitch and Christian Budzik was hit by a pitch extending RCP’s lead to 3-1. Cole Ogorzalek’s RBI single made it 4-1.
In the seventh, Baldwin had a two-RBI triple in a three run inning to extend the Post 105 lead to 7-1.
Regula, who had season-high19 strikeouts in a win over Windsor Locks earlier this week, is a 5-foot-11 righthander from Cromwell. He has struck out 87 batters in eight appearances this summer.
Simsbury’s Jake King scored in the fourth inning on an error to tie the game at 1-1. Post 84 added another run in the eighth inning when Brendan Reilly doubled, moved to third on a passed ball and scored on a wild pitch. E.J. Lavoie led Simsbury with two singles.
Reilly had a single and a double while Hunter had a double. Lavoie went six innings on the mound, giving up eight hits and striking out two.
RCP 7, Simsbury 2
At Bristol
Simsbury (21-7) 000 100 010 – 2-5-1
RCP (21-4) 010 102 30x – 7-11-2
E.J. Lavoie, Dakota Hunter (7), Kevin Gurry (8) and Andrew Girard; Jake Regula and Kevin Radziewicz; WP: Regula (8-0); LP: Lavoie (2-1); 2B: Hunter (S), Brendan Reilly (S), Corey Baldwin (R), Christian Budzik (R), Kevin Radziewicz (R); 3B: Baldwin (R)
Northern Division Super Regional
At Bristol
Saturday’s results
Simsbury 6, Tolland 1
RCP 4, Waterford 1
Sunday’s games
Tolland 5, Waterford 4 (15)
RCP 7, Simsbury 2
Tuesday’s games
Tolland vs. Simsbury, 3:30 p.m.
Final: Simsbury/Tolland winner vs. RCP, 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday’s game
Final (if necessary), 6:30 p.m.
Southern Division Super Regional
At Stamford
Saturday’s results
Branford 7, Berlin 1
Cheshire 5, Stamford 4
Sunday’s games
Stamford 5, Berlin 1
Cheshire 2, Branford 0
Tuesday’s games
Game 5: Stamford vs. Branford, 3:30 p.m.
Game 6: Final: Cheshire vs. winner game 5, 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday’s game
Final (if necessary), 6:30 p.m.
Gerry deSimas, Jr., is the editor and founder of The Collinsville Press. He is an award-winning writer and has been covering sports in Connecticut and New England for more than 40 years. He was inducted into the New England High School Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2018.


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2025 NCCC Winter Tournaments

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