Crushers pitcher Jim Spirito went 11 innings on the mound to help Canton win its first-ever Tri-State League game over Amenia, N.Y. last July at Bowdoin Field.
CANTON, May 14 – Tom Dubois is a happy man. And why not? He is getting married this weekend. But there is more than wedded bliss that is bringing a smile to the face of the manager and coach of the Canton Crushers, who are getting ready for their second year in the Tri-State Baseball League.
The Crushers went 1-17 in their initial campaign a year ago but Dubois is optimistic that 2015 will be a more successful season. Canton opens the season Sunday at Bowdoin Field hosting Litchfield at 5 p.m.
“We more excited to come into this year,” Dubois said. “We’re more relaxed. We know what to expect. The guys that are coming back are comfortable with each other. It’s a good group of guys who know each other and play well together.”
The Crushers have a core of players back from last year’s team including shortstop Steve Dubois, a long-time veteran Tri-State League player, pitcher Jim Spirito, another Tri-State veteran who anchored the Crusher pitching staff a year ago, outfielder Sean Dury, pitcher Chris Colon and Brian Kulik and John Scrippa.
Canton Crushers manager and coach Tom Dubois
Tom Dubois has added more than a half-dozen news players including former Canton High baseball players Heath Cotton, Casey Keating, Sean Bahre, Jack Palozie and Chris Palozie. The Crushers also picked up infielder Gerard Taylor, who played a year of varsity baseball at the University of Maryland. Tom Spirito, who won a Tri-State League title with the Torrington Rebels years ago, is also joining the team. He also brings experience as a pitching coach for Eastern Connecticut State and the former Torrington Twisters of the New England Collegiate Baseball League.
“We’re coming together,” Tom Dubois said. “The big thing is that the guys are committed to the team. There were times last year when we just threw a lineup together with whomever was there. I don’t think that will be an issue this year.”
Canton infielder Steve Dubois
There are more players who can pitch this year including Tom Spirito, Keating and Cotton. In high school, Cotton went 13-0 in his senior campaign at Canton nearly a decade ago. He did play two seasons of college baseball at Central Connecticut State and the University of Hartford, pitching a few innings off the bench. Colon and Dury can also throw.
“We hope to be a better fundamental team,” Tom Dubois said.
Canton saw the importance of playing good, solid defense last year. They’ll have to hit the ball better, too if they hope to move up in the wooden bat league. The top 12 teams in the 18-team earn a spot in the league playoffs. The league is open to players from age 19 and up. There are several players in their 40s.
Canton hosts defending Tri-State League champion Wolcott Scrappers on Sunday, May 24. The Crushers will face Tri-Town, the two-time defending Stan Musial state champions, at Bowdoin on June 2 at 5:45 p.m.
The season kicks off on Sunday with 17 returning teams and one expansion team, the East Mountain Cougars from Waterbury.
CANTON CRUSHERS
Manager: Tom Dubois, 2nd year (1-17)
Home field: Bowdoin Field, Canton
Last year: 1-17
Top players: Steve Dubois (SS), Jim Spirito (P), Chris Colon (P), Sean Dury (CF), Muweeb Alam, Brian Kulik, John Scrippa, Chad Huff, Tom Spirito, Heath Cotton, Casey Keating, Jack Palozie, Chris Palozie, Sean Bahre, Gerard Taylor (inf), Andrew Millett, Zach Sugar
Outlook: The Crushers are optimistic about improving on their first season in the Tri-State League. Tom Dubois has more pitchers on the roster, which will be helpful with several instances of multiple games in a single week. Canton will need to cut down on errors and hit the ball better to be more successful. Canton opens the season with four games against teams that played in the 2014 Tri-State League playoff semifinals.
Of note: Canton plays six of its final seven regular season games on the road. Sunday afternoon games are 9 innings and weekday games are seven innings.
Canton Crushers 2015
Sunday, May 17 LITCHFIELD, 5 p.m.
Sunday, May 24 WOLCOTT, 5 p.m.
Tuesday, June 2 TRI-TOWN, 5:45 p.m. (7)
Thursday, June 4 at Terryville, 5:45 p.m. (7)
Sunday, June 7 at Winsted (Walker Field), 9 a.m.
Saturday, June 13 WATERTOWN, 10 a.m.
Sunday, June 14 TRIBURY, 5 p.m.
Thursday, June 18 THOMASTON, 5:45 p.m. (7)
Sunday, June 21 at Torrington (Fussenich Park), 6 p.m.
Thursday, June 25 BRISTOL at Muzzy Field, 5:45 p.m. (7)
Sunday, June 28 at East Mountain at Bucks Hill-Waterbury, 1 p.m.
Tuesday, June 30 at Naugatuck (Rotary Field), 7:30 p.m. (7)
Saturday, July 11 vs. Brass City at Lakeville, 1 p.m. (7)
Sunday, July 12 BETHLEHEM, 5 p.m.
Thursday, July 16 at Burlington (Lewis Mills), 5:45 p.m. (7)
Sunday, July 19 at Amenia (N.Y.), 1 p.m.
Saturday, July 25 vs. Lakeville at Housatonic Valley HS, 1 p.m.
Stan Musial State tournament: July 27 to August 2; Regional Tournament: July 30 to August 2
Tri-State League tournament begins August 4.
Games are nine innings unless otherwise listed.
2014 Tri-State League baseball
Team W-L Pct. GB RF RA +/- TS Final
y-Naugatuck Dogs 15-3 .833 122 44 78 1-2 16-4
x-Brass City Brew 14-4 .777 1 145 65 80 1-2 15-5
x-Terryville Black Sox 14-4 .777 1 113 40 73 2-2 16-6
x-Watertown Blaze 13-5 .722 2 131 54 77 0-2 13-7
x-Tri-Town Trojans 13-5 .722 2 128 73 55 6-2 18-7
x-Bethlehem Plowboys 13-5 .722 2 116 73 43 2-2 15-7
x-Litchfield Cowboys 13-5 .722 2 82 49 33 4-4 17-9
x-Wolcott Scrappers 11-7 .611 4 120 57 63 8-1 19-8
x-Lakeville Firemen 9-9 .500 6 65 88 -23 0-2 9-11
x-Burlington Hunters 7-10 .411 7½ 60 114 -54 1-2 8-12
x-Tribury Twisters 6-12 .333 9 55 95 -40 0-2 6-14
x-Bristol Greeners 6-12 .333 9 55 99 -44 0-2 6-14
Amenia Monarchs 6-12 .333 9 88 98 -10
Thomaston Threshers 5-13 .278 10 82 121 -39
Winsted Whalers 4-14 .222 11 59 120 -61
Torrington Rebels 2-15 .117 12½ 48 93 -45
Canton Crushers 1-17 .055 14 34 220 -186
y-regular season champions
x-made playoffs
SM: Stan Musial tournament; TS: Tri-State tournament
2014 Tri-State playoffs
First round (best of 3)
Litchfield def. Burlington, 2-1 (3-1, 2-3, 5-2)
Wolcott def. Lakeville, 2-0 (14-0, 9-2)
Bethlehem def. Tribury, 2-0 (3-0, 8-2)
Tri-Town def. Bristol, 2-0 (5-4, 10-1)
Second round (best of 3)
Tri-Town def. Watertown, 2-0 (9-7, 4-3)
Terryville def. Bethlehem, 2-0 (2-1, 6-1)
Litchfield def. Brass City, 2-1 (6-5 [10], 1-2, 7-2)
Wolcott def. Naugatuck, 2-1 (11-3, 2-5, 4-2)
Semifinals (best of 3)
Tri-Town def. Litchfield, 2-0 (7-4, 4-0)
Wolcott def. Terryville, 2-0 (0-2, 5-2, 5-0)
Championship (best of 3)
Wolcott def. Tri-Town, 2-0 (6-0, 4-2)
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