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From the start, Avon races away from Canton with a 12-1 victory

Ian McDonald (5) had two doubles in Avon's win over Canton on Tuesday.

Ian McDonald (5) had two doubles in Avon’s win over Canton on Tuesday.

AVON, April 28 – A day after giving up a one-run lead in the bottom of the seventh inning and losing to Suffield, the Avon High baseball team scored runs at will in Tuesday’s game with neighboring Canton at Buckingham Field.

The Falcons scored nine times in the first inning and added three more in the second inning in a dominating 12-1 decision. Falcon hurlers Will Boone and Kyle Emery combined to scatter seven hits and strike out seven.
 
It’s the second-to-last game for the two schools as conference rivals. They’ll play again on May 13 at Bowdoin Field in Canton. Outside two seasons in the early 1980s, the two schools have been in the same league since 1965. But that ends in June when Avon leaves the NCCC and begins play in the Central Connecticut Conference in September.

Could they meet as non-league foes? Perhaps. For the last several years, Avon has been playing Farmington in non-conference games. But it will really depend on the two coaches want to do.
 
On Tuesday, Avon (5-3, 4-3 NCCC) raced out to an early lead and kept its foot on the pedal. Avon scored nine runs in the first inning on six hits and four walks. The Falcons scored two runs on wild pitches. Matt Boone, Sean DelGallo and Alex Zacchio had RBI singles while Ian McDonald had an RBI double.
 
In the second inning, Avon scored another run on a wild pitch, an RBI single from Justin Olson and a sacrifice fly from Zacchio for a 12-0 lead.
 
Canton (4-4, 3-4 NCCC) pushed across a run in the fifth when Kevin Gurry walked, moved to second on a single by Justin Mulchany and moved to third base on a stolen base. Gurry scored on a single from James Treacy to left field.
 
Canton, which had just four hits in a 12-0 win over Public Safety, a CREC school from Enfield on Monday, finished with seven hits, led by Treacy with two. Avon was led by Matt Boone, who was 3-for-3 with a RBI. McDonald was 3-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI while Bryant St. Jean was 2-for-3. Zacchio had one hit and two RBI.
It was the most one-sided victory in the series since 2004 when Canton beat the Falcons, 15-0 in a game in Coopertown, N.Y. at Doubleday Field behind the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Avon has won four in a row over the Warriors. 

On Monday, the Falcons erased a four-run deficit and took a 5-4 lead over Suffield. Avon had four runs in the third inning to tie the game. Chris Jacobs’ RBI double and Bryant St. Jean’s RBI single cut the lead to two. St. Jean scored on a steal of home and Avon tied the game when Olson scored on Zarwanski’s sacrifice fly. 

In the fifth, Avon took a one-run lead. McDonald singled and moved to second on Andrew LeDuc’s single to left field. On a double steal attempt, McDonald made it to third base but LeDuc was thrown out at second base for the second out of the inning. Avon took the 5-4 lead when McDonald scored on a wild pitch. 

Avon came close to winning in the bottom of the seventh. Two Suffield runners reached on errors but Olson got two outs. But Matt Clark’s two-RBI single to center field was enough to beat the Falcons, 6-5. 

McDonald had a single and double for Avon while Jacobs had a double and one RBI. St. Jean had two hits and an RBI. Olson went the distance on the mound, giving up eight hits and striking out four. 

Avon 12, Canton 1
At Avon
Canton (4-4)     000   010   0 – 1-7-2
Avon  (5-3)        930   000   x – 12-12-1
Jacob Schatzel, Justin Mulchany (2), Smith (6) and Sam Beadle; Will Boone, Kyle Emery (4) and Jeremy Zarwanski; WP: Boone; LP: Schatzel; 2B: Ian McDonald (A) 2, Matt Boone (A)

Suffield 6, Avon 5
At Suffield
Avon     004  100  0  — 5-7-4
Suffield 130  000  2  — 6-8-2
Justin Olson and Jeremy Zarwanski; Tim Eheander, Mike McDermott (5) and Jake Palotti; 2B: Ian McDonald (A), Chris Jacobs (A); 3B: Alex Champagne (S)

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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 30 years.

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