After losing to Bristol in eight innings, Avon Legion gets back on the winning track

Avon’s Chris Jacobs had two hits, picked up a save in a 4-2 win over  Winsted on Monday night. Jacobs picked a runner off at second base to end the game in the seventh inning.

AVON, June 18 – One night after dropping their first Zone 1 game of the season, the Avon American Legion baseball team got back on the winning track with a 4-2 victory over Winsted Monday night at Buckingham Field.

Avon (5-1, 4-1 Zone 1) had just seven hits but it was enough to beat Post 43 for the 16th time in the last 17 games. Chris Jacobs picked up the save and was 2-for-3 with two runs batted in. Jacobs pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings, striking out three.

With runners on first and second base and two outs in the top of the seventh innings, Jacobs and shortstop Justin Olson teamed up to pick off a runner at second base and end the game.

Olson started the game, scattered eight hits and struck out seven to lead Avon. Dylan Nastri had an RBI single in the third inning for Avon.

After Winsted (2-3, 2-3 Zone 1) cut the lead to one run, Avon scored an insurance run in the sixth inning. Ryan Ollestad singled and moved to third base on Miles Borenstein’s single to center field. Ollestad scored on Will Thramann’s sacrifice fly to right field for a two-run lead, 4-2.

Avon got seven hits off 6-foot-9 Gilbert School graduate Ryan Sholtis. He made 11 appearances for Amherst College this spring, striking out 14 and giving up 13 hits in 11.0 innings of work. Against Avon, he struck out three and walked three.

On Sunday, Bristol beat Avon, 5-4 in eight innings to hand Post 43 their first loss of the season. Bristol scored twice in the eighth inning to take a 5-3 lead. Post 2 put two runners on base with broken bat singles from Zach Marquis and Alex DiLoreto. Both scored on a two-RBI single from Anthony Lozier.

Avon tried to rally in the eighth. Adam Theriault singled with one out and scored on a deep double to center field from Harris to trim the Bristol lead to one four, 5-4. Sam Smith drew a walk but Bristol reliever Ethan Ryan struck out two batters to preserve the win and earn the save.

Bristol took an early 3-0 lead thanks to four hits and an error. Avon cut the lead to two runs with a pair of runs in the third inning. Olson singled and scored on Jake Coppen’s double. Avon tied the game in the sixth inning on Ollestad’s RBI double.

Avon returns to action when they travel to Plainville on Thursday for a Zone 1 game that begins at 5:30 p.m.

Simsbury played eight innings on Monday night before their game with Bristol (3-0) was suspended after 8½ innings and tied at 3-3 due to lightning at Memorial Field. It’s the second game in a week that Simsbury (3-0) had suspended. Post 84 played 10 innings with Avon before that game was suspended.

Avon 4, Winsted 2
At Avon
Winsted (2-3)                    000  110  0  – 2-8-0
Avon (4-1)                           011  101  x – 4-7-0
Ryan Sholtis and Kevin Sullivan; Justin Olson, Chris Jacobs (6) and Ryan Ollestad, Jeremy Zarwanski (2); WP: Olson (1-0); LP: Sholtis; Save: Jacobs (1); 2B: Sullivan (W)

Bristol 5, Avon 4 (8)
At Avon
Bristol (3-0)                         300  000  02 – 5-11-1
Avon (3-1)                            002  001  01 – 4-9-2
Kenneth Knox, Cory Fradette (6), Ethan Ryan (8) and Jeremy Ganavage; Will Boone, Connor Harris (4) and Jeremy Zarwanski; WP: Fradette; LP: Harris (2-1); Save: Ryan; 2B: Jake Coppen (A), Connor Harris (A)