Ellington blanks Avon to earn a spot in the Legion U-15 state title game

ELLINGTON, August 2 – Pitchers Jack Steed and Shawn Gentilcore scattered four hits and struck out four batters to lead Ellington into the American Legion Prep Division (ages 15 and under) state championship game with a 3-0 win over Avon Thursday.

Ellington (25-4) had just three hits but they took advantage of five walks in the sixth inning to build a three-run lead and win the Northern Division.

Ellington will face Stamford, the winner of the Southern Division, in a one game state championship final on Sunday at Ceppa Field in Meriden.

After winning Zone C, Avon (16-9) won three of four Northern Division tournament games to earn a spot in the Northern Division final against Ellington. Avon needed to beat Ellington twice to win the double elimination Northern Division tournament.

Avon starting pitcher Dylan Love gave up just one hit in the first three innings but that baserunner was erased with a double play. Ellington’s Chris Uzupes doubled in the fourth inning, moved to third base on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a sacrifice fly to center field for a 1-0 lead.

Avon threatened in the fifth inning against reliever Shawn Gentilcore. Avon loaded the bases with a single and a pair of walks but Gentilcore got out of the jam with a strikeout to end the threat.

Ellington took advantage of five walks in the sixth inning to add another two runs to take a 3-0 lead. Ellington retired the side in order to win the Northern Division championship.

Matt Leopold, Emmett Borenstein, Nicholas Amatulli and Tyler Nyberg had singles for Avon.

Ellington 3, Avon 0
At Ellington
Avon (16-9)                          000  000  0  — 0-4-0
Ellington (25-4)                  000  102  x   — 3-3-0
Dylan Love, Nicholas Amatulli (6) and Emmett Borestein; Jack Steed, Shawn Gentilcore (5) and unknown; WP: Steed; LP: Love; 2B: Chris Uzupes (Ell)

2018 American Legion baseball
State tournament
Prep Division (Age 15 and under)

State championship
Sunday, August 5
At Ceppa Field, Meriden
Stamford 3, Ellington 2 (Updated August 6)

Northern Division
Friday, July 27
Middletown 12, RCP 6
Avon 5, Manchester 0
West Hartford 13, Windsor Locks 1
Ellington 9, Tolland 6

Saturday, July 28
Avon 4, Middletown 0
Ellington 11, West Hartford 8
RCP 5, Manchester 0, Manchester eliminated
Tolland 7, Windsor Locks 4, Windsor Locks eliminated

Sunday, July 29
Ellington 11, Avon 0
RCP 5, West Hartford 4, West Hartford eliminated
Middletown 8, Tolland 5, Tolland eliminated

Tuesday, July 31
Avon 5, Middletown 4, Middletown eliminated
Ellington 13, RCP 1, RCP eliminated

Thursday, August 2
Final: Ellington 3, Avon 0

Southern Division
Friday, July 27
Ridgefield 5, North Haven 4
Wallingford 6, Glastonbury 3
Branford 10, Meriden 6
Stamford 10, Newington 0

Saturday, July 28
Ridgefield 4, Wallingford 2
Stamford 6, Branford 4
North Haven 5, Glastonbury 3, Glastonbury eliminated
Meriden 10, Newington 0, Newington eliminated

Sunday, July 29
Stamford 3, Ridgefield 0
North Haven 10, Branford 4, Branford eliminated
Meriden 6, Wallingford 3, Wallingford eliminated

Tuesday’s games
Stamford 2, North Haven 0, North Haven eliminated
Meriden 6, Ridgefield 3, Ridgefield eliminated

Thursday, August 2
Final: Stamford 4, Meriden 3

2018 Zone C standings
American Legion Prep (ages 15 and under)
x-Avon                                  13-7
Middletown                         13-7
West Hartford                     12-7
RCP                                       11-9
Newington                           7-11
Wolcott                                2-17
x-won Zone C title, tiebreaker