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Jankoski carries Avon Legion past Naugatuck; Berlin tops winless Simsbury

Tyler Nyberg had a pair of hits as Avon won their third straight game with a 6-2 Zone 1 win over Naugatuck.

Pitcher Ed Jankoski scattered nine hits and struck out seven to lead the Avon American Legion baseball team to their fifth win in the last six games with a 6-2 Zone 1 victory over host Naugatuck on Tuesday.

Jankoski, who pitched for Lewis Mills in Burlington in the spring, improved to 3-0 on the mound with his first complete game of the season for Post 201.

Avon took their first lead in the third inning. Tyler Nyberg led off with a single and moved to third on Tyler Bonney’s double. A walk to Max Raha loaded the bases which set up Emmett Borenstein, who had a two-run single to give Avon a 2-1 lead.

A sacrifice fly by Dylan Love moved Raha to third base and Raha scored on a sacrifice fly from Matt Leopold for a 3-1 lead.

Bonney led Avon by going 3-for-4 with a double while Tyler Nyberg was 2-for-3. Borenstein was 1-for-3 with three RBI while Raha was 1-for-2 with two RBI.

Naugatuck (9-8) was led by Nicholas Bruno and James Duda, who were 3-for-4 at the plate.

Avon returns to action on Thursday when they travel to Hall High to tangle with West Hartford beginning at 5:45 p.m.

Avon 6, Naugatuck 2
At Naugatuck
Avon (11-6)                 003  201  0  — 6-8-3
Naugatuck (9-8)         100  010  0  — 2-9-1
Ed Jankoski and Emmett Borenstein; Justin Stone and unknown; WP: Jankoski (3-0); LP: Stone; 2B: Tyler Bonnery (A)

 

Berlin 5, Simsbury 2
BERLIN, July 27, 2021 – Pitcher Matthew Kozlak allowed just two hits and struck out seven to lead the Berlin American Legion baseball team to a 5-2 Zone 1 victory over winless Simsbury on Tuesday at Sage Park.

Simsbury, playing their first game in a week, took an early 2-0 lead. Post 84’s Matthew Ferro led off the game with a double and moved to third when Riley Carew reached on an error. Ferro gave Simsbury a 1-0 lead when he stole home and Carew made it 2-0 when he scored on Daniel Gorham’s RBI single.

But that would be it for the Simsbury offense. Kozlak gave up just one hit in the remaining six innings as Post 84 dropped their 13th consecutive contest of the season.

Berlin took the lead for good in the fifth inning on Cameron Murphy’s two-run triple. Murphy scored later in the inning on an error. Berlin added another two runs in the sixth inning thanks to another two Post 84 errors and a successful steal of home.

Gorham pitched the first three innings for Simsbury, allowing one hit and striking out three.

Simsbury returns to action in search of their first win of the season, when they travel to Newington to face Post 117 at Legends Field beginning at 5:30 p.m. Simsbury will host Bristol on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Memorial Field on the final day of the season.

Berlin 5, Simsbury 2
At Berlin

Simsbury (0-13)                   200  000  0  — 2-2-4
Berlin (5-13)                         000  032  x  — 5-4-2
Daniel Gorham, William Smith (4), Kevin Gallagher (6) and unknown; Matthew Kozlak and unknown; WP: Kozlak; LP: Smith (0-1); 2B: Matthew Ferro (S), 3B: Cameron Murphy (B)

 

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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