
Avon reliever Brady Williamson retired 14 of the final 15 batters of the game as Avon beat South Windsor, 4-2 on Monday night.
BRISTOL, July 24 – After giving up two runs to the first three batters he faced, reliever Brady Williamson retired 14 of the final 15 batters he faced to lead the Avon American Legion baseball team to a 4-3 win over South Windsor in an elimination game in the Northern Division regional of the state American Legion baseball tournament Monday night at Muzzy Field.
It was the biggest win of the season for Williamson, who gave up just two hits and didn’t walk a batter in five innings of relief as Avon (23-7) remained alive in the state tournament.
Avon will now face West Hartford (21-9) on Tuesday night in Northern Division regional final at 6:30 p.m. at Muzzy Field. If Post 201 can beat West Hartford on Tuesday, a second game in the double-elimination regional tournament will be Wednesday night. The winner of the Northern Division advances to the best-of-3 state championship series.
Williamson’s performance also allowed Avon skipper Donny Annicelle to remove Olson from the game after just two innings and 43 pitches. That means if Avon can beat West Hartford on Tuesday, Olson will be available to pitch on Wednesday night.
Avon’s ability to score four runs in the first two innings also allowed Annicelle to lift Olson from the game. Post 201 had five hits in the first two innings grab an early 4-0 lead.
In the first inning, Sean Del Gallo led off with a walk. With one out, Olson (2-for-3) singled to center field as Del Gallo advanced to third. Jeremy Zarwanski drew a walk from South Windsor starter Hunter Pasqualini to load the bases.
Adam Theriault’s RBI single to center field scored Del Gallo from third base for a 1-0 lead, leaving the bases loaded. With two outs, Chris Jacob’s single to left field drove in two runs for a 3-0 Avon lead.
In the second inning, Del Gallo reached on a single and moved to third base on Will Thramann’s hard single to shortstop. Del Gallo scored on a throwing error for a 4-0 Avon lead.
South Windsor (19-9) threatened in the third inning thanks to two Avon errors. Cam O’Meara reached on an error by Thramann and moved to second base. Ben Custer singled to right field and O’Meara moved to third base and then scored on a throwing error by Theriault.
Pasqualini singled to center field to drive in Custer to cut the lead to 4-2 with no outs in the top of the third inning.
But Williamson settled down and retired the side on a fly ball to Olson at shortstop, a ground ball to Olson at shortstop and a foul ball caught by catcher Jeremy Zarwanski.
Williamson retired 13 batters in a row until he hit a batter with one out in the seventh inning.
Pitcher Kyle Emery (2-2) is expected to get the start on Tuesday for Avon, which dropped a 7-2 decision to West Hartford on Sunday. Chris Jacobs (6-0) will also be available. West Hartford is looking to play in the finals of the state tournament for the first time since 1973. Avon is looking for their first-ever finals appearance.
Avon 4, South Windsor 2
At Bristol
South Windsor (19-9) 002 000 0 – 2-2-2
Avon (23-7) 310 000 x – 4-7-2
Hunter Pasqualini and B. Rapp; Justin Olson, Brady Williamson (3) and Jeremy Zarwanski; WP: Williamson (2-2); LP: Paqualini; 2B: none; 3B: none; HR: none
Connecticut State Tournament
Northern Division Regional final
At Muzzy FIeld, Bristol
Saturday, July 22
Game 1: West Hartford 7, Avon 2
Game 2: South Windsor 4, Waterford 0
Sunday, July 23
Game 3: Avon 6, Waterford 1, Waterford eliminated
Game 4: West Hartford 16, South Windsor 7
Monday, July 24
Game 5: Avon 4, South Windsor 2, South Windsor eliminated
Tuesday, July 25
Game 6, Final: Avon vs. West Hartford, 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday, July 26
Game 7, Final: Winner game 6 vs. loser game 6, 6:30 p.m., if necessary
Southern DIvision Regional finals
At Palmer Field, Middletown
Saturday, July 22
Game 1: Stamford 4, Greenwich 1
Game 2: Cheshire 1, Trumbull 0
Sunday, July 23
Game 3: Trumbull 8, Greenwich 1, Greenwich eliminated
Game 4: Stamford 4, Cheshire 1
Monday, July 24
Game 5: Trumbull 2, Cheshire 1, Cheshire eliminated
Tuesday, July 25
Game 6, Final: Trumbull vs. Stamford, 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday, July 26
Game 7, Final: Winner game 6 vs. loser game 6, 6:30 p.m., if necessary
State championship finals
Best of three
At Middletown, Palmer Field
Friday, July 28
Game 1: Northern Division champion vs. Southern Division champion
Saturday, July 29
Game 2: Northern Division champion vs. Southern Division champion
TBA
Game 3: Northern Division champion vs. Southern Division champion, if necessary
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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