Late-inning mistakes doom Simsbury and Avon in CEBA defeats

Simsbury shortstop Kevin Gallagher has hit doubles in three of four games this season.

CANTON, July 2, 2020 – Simsbury didn’t commit an error in Thursday night’s Connecticut Elite Baseball Association contest but several mistakes in the sixth inning helped Meriden score five runs to snap a tie ballgame and earn their first win of the season with a 6-1 victory at Bowdoin Field.

The game was tied 1-1 after five innings and Meriden took advantage of four hits and several mistakes to score five runs and take command of the contest. A RBI double from Meriden’s Jack Clancy made it 2-1 and Kameron Hartenstein (2-for-4) scored on a wild pitch. Another run scored on a passed ball and another came in on a bases-loaded walk.

Simsbury (1-3) was led by Kevin Gallagher and Cayden Thomas, who each had doubles. Gallagher has hit doubles in three of Simsbury’s four games this year including the past two. Connor Anthony had a RBI single for Simsbury in the third inning.

Meriden hurler Wes Deno went the distance, scattering six hits and striking out four.

Simsbury returns to action on Monday when they host Newington at 5 p.m. at Memorial Field in Simsbury.

Meriden 6, Simsbury 1
At Canton
Meriden (1-0)        001  005  0 – 6-5-0
Simsbury (1-3)      001  000  0 — 1-6-0
Wes Deno and unknown; Daniel Fritz, Nick Badorek (4), Sean Griffin (5), Cooper Schneider (6) and unknown; WP: Deno (1-0); LP: Griffin (0-1); 2B: Kevin Gallagher (S), Cayden Thomas (S), Clandy (M)

Newington 5, Avon 3
AVON, July 2 – Avon’s Tyler Mandeville was 2-for-3 with a pair of singles but the Grey and White made six errors in the field and gave up five unearned runs as visiting Newington scored three runs in the seventh inning to earn a 5-3 victory in a Connecticut Elite Baseball Association game at Buckingham Field.

Avon (0-4) had a season-high six hits but was hurt by their defensive woes.

Avon had a 3-2 lead with two outs in the seventh inning. But one run scored on an error, another run came in on a balk before Domenick Butkowski’s RBI single gave Newington a 5-3 lead. Butkowski closed it out in the seventh inning with a pair of ground balls and a strikeout.

Newington (1-1) took an early 1-0 lead but Avon tied it in the bottom of the first inning. Christian Boudreau reached base with a two-out bunt single. He moved to second base on a single by Mandeville and then stole third base. Boudreau stole home to tie the game at 1-1.

In the third inning, Avon tied the game at 2-2 on Boudreau’s sacrifice fly to center field that drove in Max Raha from third base.

Avon took a 3-2 lead in the fourth inning. Justin Hasler was hit by a pitch and promptly stole second and third base. Dave O’Brien walked and then Matt Arciero grounded back to the pitcher, who threw out Hasler at home. O’Brien, who moved to third base on the play, scored on an error later in the inning.

Avon stole eight bases in the game led by Boudreau and Hasler with two each. Avon returns to action on Monday, July 6, when they head to Muzzy Field in Bristol for a 5:30 p.m. start.

Newington 5, Avon 3
At Avon
Newington (1-1)                110  000  3  — 5-4-1
Avon (0-4)                         101  100  0  — 3-6-6
Arjun Grover, Tyler Mandeville (5) and Matt Arciero; Saldon, Dominick Butkowski (5) and unknown; WP: Butkowski (1-0); LP: Mandeville (0-1); 2B: none; 3B: none; HR: none

Connecticut Elite Baseball Association
U-19, Division 1

Wednesday’s games
Cheshire at Avon, ppd., TBA
Simsbury at West Hartford, ppd., TBA
Meriden at Bristol, ppd.
Berlin 3, Newington 2
Thursday’s games
Newington 5, Avon 3
Meriden 6, Simsbury 1
Berlin 5, Bristol 2
Cheshire 10, West Hartford 9
CEBA League website