
Avon’s Max Raha helped Post 201 earn a win over West Hartford earlier in the week with three hits and three stolen bases.
AVON, June 26, 2021 – The Naugatuck American Legion baseball team scored twice in the top of the ninth inning and held on to beat Avon Post 201 in Zone 1 action on Saturday at Buckingham Field, 3-2 in nine innings.
Visiting Naugatuck took a 3-1 lead in the top of the ninth inning on a RBI single from James Duda and a sacrifice fly from Nicholas Bruno.
Avon (4-2) rallied but it fell short. Emmett Borenstein walked with one out and advanced to second base on a passed ball. He scored on a RBI single from Matt Leopold. But Naugatuck reliever Ryan Sutherland secured another two outs to earn the win for Post 17 in the first game between the two programs.
It was second one-run game for Avon this week. Post 201 held on for a 3-2 win over West Hartford earlier this week.
Naugatuck (4-2), the six-time state champion program playing in Zone 1 for the first time, took a 1-0 lead in the first inning thanks to Derrick Jagello’s RBI single with the bases loaded. But Avon starting pitcher Ed Jankoski limited the damage by getting Brady Evon to pop to Avon third baseman Christian Boudreau and Michael Rusin grounded into an inning-ending double play.
Avon tied the game in the sixth inning. Jankoski led off the inning with a single. With two outs, he moved to second base on a single by Max Raha. Boudreau’s single loaded the bases before Borenstein drove in a run with a RBI single to left field.
Jankoski pitched 7.2 strong innings for Avon, allowing just five hits and striking out six.
Naugatuck threatened in the eighth. Deitelbaum, who was 3-for-4, doubled with two outs. Jankoski was lifted for Avon reliever Danny Galliher. Deitelbaum was lifted for pinch runner, who moved to third base on a wild pitch.
But Galliher got out of the jam by striking out Ryan Sutherland to end the inning.
Earlier in the week, Avon built a four-run lead and held on to hand West Hartford their first loss of the season in a 4-3 decision.
Avon had a 4-1 lead when West Hartford came to bat in the bottom of the seventh. Post 96 loaded the bases with no outs but Jankowski, in relief, battled out of the jam to secure the save.
Raha led Avon by going 3-for-4 with a double and three stolen bases. Tyler Bonney was 2-for-3 while Boudreau had a triple and two stolen bases. Post 201 was 5-for-6 stealing bases against West Hartford.
On the mound, Danny Bae earned his first American Legion pitching victory of the season. He pitched five innings, allowed five hits and struck out six.
On Friday night, Avon picked up a forfeit victory over Newington, which showed up with just eight players at Buckingham Field.
Avon returns to action when they host Berlin at Buckingham Field at 11 a.m. on Sunday morning.
Naugatuck 3, Avon 2 (9)
At Avon
Naugatuck (4-2) 100 000 002 — 3-7-1
Avon (4-2) 000 001 001 — 2-5-1
Brady Evon, Ryan Sutherland (7) and Michael Deitelbaum; Ed Jankoski, Danny Galliher (8) and Emmett Borenstein; WP: Evon (1-2); LP: Galliher (0-1); 2B: Deitelbaum (N)
Avon 1, Newington 0, forfeit
At Avon (June 25)
Avon 4, West Hartford 3
At West Hartford (June 23)
Avon (3-1) 002 110 0 — 4-7-1
West Hartford (4-1) 000 001 2 — 3-9-1
Danny Bae, Danny Galliher (6), Ed Jankoski (7) and unknown; Joseph Dooley, Seth Ehrlich (4) and unknown; WP: Bae (1-1); LP: Dooley (1-2); 2B: Max Raha (A), 3B: Christian Boudreau (A)
Gerry deSimas, Jr., is the editor and founder of The Collinsville Press. He is an award-winning writer and has been covering sports in Connecticut and New England for more than 40 years. He was inducted into the New England High School Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2018.


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