Avon can’t catch up to Bristol in CEBA loss at Muzzy Field

Avon’s Max Raha doubled , scored a run and stole a base in Thursday night’s Connecticut Elite Baseball Association loss to Bristol. Raha successfully stole at least one base for the 12th consecutive game.

BRISTOL, July 23, 2020 – Starting pitcher Trevor Mays allowed just four hits over five innings and struck out five to lead the Bristol Under-19 baseball team to a 5-2 Division I victory over Avon Thursday night at Muzzy Field in Connecticut Elite Baseball Association play.

Bristol (8-6) also took advantage of two Avon errors to score three unearned runs and keep control of the contest. With six games remaining,

Bristol remains one game behind Meriden (10-6) for the second and final playoff spot in Division I. The top two teams will advance to the CEBA playoffs.

Avon (2-14) took a 1-0 lead in the first inning after Max Raha doubled and scored on Wyatt Lacombe’s RBI single. Bristol responded with three runs in the bottom of the first inning with two runs scoring after an two-out error by Avon and a pair of walks.

Avon cut the lead to one run, 3-2, in the fourth inning when Christian Boudreau singled, stole second base and moved to third on an infield ground ball. He scored on Tyler Mandeville’s RBI single.

Bristol extended their lead to two runs, 4-2, in the fifth inning.

In the top of the sixth, Avon tried to make something happen. Raha led off the inning with a bunt single. After stealing second base, he advanced to third on an error from Bristol reliever Jagger Duquette. But Duquette settled down and got a pair of strikeouts and an infield ground ball to end the threat.

Raha has stolen at least one base in the last 12 games and has swiped two bases in eight of those 12 games.

Bristol added another run in the bottom of the sixth to extend their lead to three runs, 5-2. Avon starting pitcher Nate Johnson (1-1) gave up four hits and two earned runs in five innings work. He did walk seven.

Avon returns to action on Friday night when they host West Hartford (9-6) at Buckingham Field beginning at 5:30 p.m.

Simsbury’s game with Newington at Memorial Field was postponed due to rain. Simsbury (4-10) returns to action on Friday night when they host Division I leader Berlin (13-4) beginning at 6:30 p.m. at Memorial Field.

Bristol 5, Avon 2
At Bristol
Avon (2-14)        100  100  0  — 2-5-2
Bristol (8-6)        300  011  x  — 5-4-1
Nate Johnson, Jackson Jobe (6) and unknown; Trevor Mays, Jagger Duquette and unknown; WP: Mays; LP: Johnson (1-1); 2B: Max Raha (A), Austin Brown (B)