Avon has already clinched spot in Legion state tournament for 10th straight season

The Avon American Legion baseball team has clinched a spot in the Connecticut American Legion baseball tournament for the 10th straight season.

The Avon American Legion baseball team has already clinched a spot in the 2018 state tournament. Post 201 will be playing in the post-season for the tenth consecutive season since the program was reborn in 2009. Avon is 12-1 in Zone 1 with five games remaining.

The top four teams in Zone 1 will earn a bid to the tournament. Simsbury (8-4), Bristol (8-4) and Winsted (8-5) have the inside track for the remaining three spots from Zone 1. Wolcott (4-9) is still alive, but barely. Plainville (4-11) and Torrington (2-12) are already eliminated.

The top four teams in Zone 1, 6, 7 and 8 will play in the Northern Division portion of the tournament with the top four teams in Zone 2, 3, 4 and 5 in the Southern Division.

The regular season ends on Thursday, July 19. Any play-in games will be on July 20.

Teams will be played into groups of four and play a double-elimination tournament beginning Saturday, July 21, with four group winners advancing to the Northern Division regional finals in Bristol at Muzzy Field and four group winners advancing to the Southern Division regional finals in Meriden at Ceppa Field beginning Saturday, July 28.

The Northern Division and Southern Division regionals will also be a double-elimination event with the two division champions advancing to a best-of-three state championship series beginning Friday, August 3 in Meriden at Ceppa Field.

Both division champions will advance to the Northeast Regional. The Northeast Regional will be August 8-12 in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts.

A year ago, Avon won four games in the state tournament but lost to West Hartford in the finals of the Northern Division regional in Bristol. West Hartford lost in best-of-3 state championship series, 2-0 to Stamford, which won their first state championship since 1957. West Hartford fell 6-2 and 3-0 and was making its first finals appearance since 1973.

2018 Connecticut American Legion baseball state tournament
All games at site of higher ranked team

Northern Division
Group A
Saturday, July 21
Game 1: Zone 8 (4) at Zone 1 champion
Game 2: Zone 7 (3) at Zone 6 runnerup
Sunday, July 22
Game 3: Loser game 1 vs. Loser game 2, loser eliminated
Game 4: Winner game 1 vs. winner game 2
Tuesday, July 23
Game 5: Winner game 3 vs. loser game 4, loser eliminated
Wednesday, July 25
Game 6: Winner game 4 vs. winner game 5
Game 7: If necessary
Winner advances to 4-team Northern Division regional in Bristol

Group B
Saturday, July 21
Game 1: Zone 1 (4) at Zone 6 champion
Game 2: Zone 8 (3) at Zone 7 runnerup
Sunday, July 22
Game 3: Loser game 1 vs. Loser game 2, loser eliminated
Game 4: Winner game 1 vs. winner game 2
Tuesday, July 23
Game 5: Winner game 3 vs. loser game 4, loser eliminated
Wednesday, July 25
Game 6: Winner game 4 vs. winner game 5
Game 7: If necessary
Winner advances to 4-team Northern Division regional in Bristol

Group C
Saturday, July 21
Game 1: Zone 6 (4) at Zone 7 champion
Game 2: Zone 1 (3) at Zone 8 runnerup
Sunday, July 22
Game 3: Loser game 1 vs. Loser game 2, loser eliminated
Game 4: Winner game 1 vs. winner game 2
Tuesday, July 23
Game 5: Winner game 3 vs. loser game 4, loser eliminated
Wednesday, July 25
Game 6: Winner game 4 vs. winner game 5
Game 7: If necessary
Winner advances to 4-team Northern Division regional in Bristol

Group D
Saturday, July 21
Game 1: Zone 7 (4) at Zone 8 champion
Game 2: Zone 6 (3) at Zone 1 runnerup
Sunday, July 22
Game 3: Loser game 1 vs. Loser game 2, loser eliminated
Game 4: Winner game 1 vs. winner game 2
Tuesday, July 23
Game 5: Winner game 3 vs. loser game 4, loser eliminated
Wednesday, July 25
Game 6: Winner game 4 vs. winner game 5
Game 7: If necessary
Winner advances to 4-team Northern Division regional in Bristol

Southern Division
Group E
Saturday, July 21
Game 1: Zone 5 (4) at Zone 2 champion
Game 2: Zone 4 (3) at Zone 3 runnerup
Sunday, July 22
Game 3: Loser game 1 vs. Loser game 2, loser eliminated
Game 4: Winner game 1 vs. winner game 2
Tuesday, July 23
Game 5: Winner game 3 vs. loser game 4, loser eliminated
Wednesday, July 25
Game 6: Winner game 4 vs. winner game 5
Game 7: If necessary
Winner advances to 4-team Southern Division regional in Meriden

Group F
Saturday, July 21
Game 1: Zone 2 (4) at Zone 3 champion
Game 2: Zone 5 (3) at Zone 4 runnerup
Sunday, July 22
Game 3: Loser game 1 vs. Loser game 2, loser eliminated
Game 4: Winner game 1 vs. winner game 2
Tuesday, July 23
Game 5: Winner game 3 vs. loser game 4, loser eliminated
Wednesday, July 25
Game 6: Winner game 4 vs. winner game 5
Game 7: If necessary
Winner advances to 4-team Southern Division regional in Meriden

Group G
Saturday, July 21
Game 1: Zone 3 (4) at Zone 4 champion
Game 2: Zone 2 (3) at Zone 5 runnerup
Sunday, July 22
Game 3: Loser game 1 vs. Loser game 2, loser eliminated
Game 4: Winner game 1 vs. winner game 2
Tuesday, July 23
Game 5: Winner game 3 vs. loser game 4, loser eliminated
Wednesday, July 25
Game 6: Winner game 4 vs. winner game 5
Game 7: If necessary
Winner advances to 4-team Southern Division regional in Meriden

Group H
Saturday, July 21
Game 1: Zone 4 (4) at Zone 5 champion
Game 2: Zone 3 (3) at Zone 2 runnerup
Sunday, July 22
Game 3: Loser game 1 vs. Loser game 2, loser eliminated
Game 4: Winner game 1 vs. winner game 2
Tuesday, July 23
Game 5: Winner game 3 vs. loser game 4, loser eliminated
Wednesday, July 25
Game 6: Winner game 4 vs. winner game 5
Game 7: If necessary
Winner advances to 4-team Southern Division regional in Meriden