SHREWSBURY, Mass., August 9 – Connecticut state champion Stamford won two straight games in the consolation bracket to remain alive in the 2019 American Legion Northeast Regional tournament.
Southington, which finished second in the Connecticut state tournament to earn a berth in the tournament, finished 1-2 and was eliminated on Friday after a 5-3 loss to defending Northeast Regional champion Cumberland, R.I.
Host Shrewsbury, Mass., has won three straight games and has clinched a spot in Sunday’s championship round for the third consecutive season.
Southington led 2-0 before Cumberland rallied with five runs in the sixth inning to take command of the contest. Sean Crean was 2-for-4 with one RBI for Southingotn while Jeremy Mercier and Jake Romano each had doubles.
Stamford’s T.J. Wainwright got the job done at both sides of the plate in a 9-0 win over Brattleboro, Vermont. He pitched six innings, allowed three hits and struck out nine. At the plate, Wainwright was 3-for-4 with three RBI and a home run to pace Stamford’s 13-hit attack.
On Thursday, Stamford eliminated Nashua, N.H., with a convincing 11-1 victory in an elimination contest. Matt Wirz was 4-for-4 with a double and three RBI while Joe Skarad hit a home run.
Stamford dropped their tournament opener with an 11-1 loss to Cumberland, R.I., as Post three gave up nine hits. Cumberland hurlers limited Stamford to four hits and fanned nine batters. Cumberland’s Steve Andrews was 2-for-3 with a double, home run and four RBI.
Southington won their first elimination game with a 6-2 win over Hampden, Maine on Thursday. Southington’s Kyle Leifert was 1-for-3 with a triple and four RBI while Jeremy Mercier was 2-for-4. Relief pitcher Brendan Kavanaugh went six innings on the mound and allowed just one hit and struck out three.
Southington lost their opening game to Brattleboro, Vermont on Wednesday, 4-3. Sean Crean was 2-for-4 with a double. Two Brattleboro pitchers limited Southington to just five hits. Brattleboro starter Adam Newton went six innings, scattered five hits and struck out seven. He gave up three runs.
2019 Northeast Regional
At Shrewsbury, Mass.
Wednesday, August 7
Game 1: Cumberland RI (Post 14) 11, Stamford (Post 3) 1
Game 2: Brattleboro VT (Post 5) 4, Southington (Post 72) 3
Game 3: Lawrence MA 1, Nashua NH (Post 124) 0
Thursday, August 8
Game 4: Shrewsbury MA (Post 397) 15, Hampden ME 2
Game 5: Stamford 11, Nashua NH 1, Nashua eliminated
Game 6: Southington 6, Hampden ME 2, Hampden eliminated
Game 7: Lawrence MA 4, Cumberland RI 1
Game 8: Shrewsbury MA 9, Brattleboro VT 0
Friday, August 9
Game 9: Cumberland RI 5, Southington 3, Southington eliminated
Game 10: Stamford 3, Brattleboro VT 0, Brattleboro eliminated
Game 11: Shrewsbury MA 6, Lawrence MA 4
Saturday, August 10
Game 12: Lawrence MA vs. Stamford
Game 13: Shrewsbury MA vs. Cumberland RI
Sunday, August 11
Game 14: Final: Winner game 12 vs. winner game 13
Game 15: Final: Winner game 12 vs. winner game 13, if necessary
