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Windsor Locks/Windsor Legion earns spot in upcoming Northeast Regional tournament

Pitcher Claudio Santaniello allowed six hits and struck out seven and didn’t allow the Fairfield American Legion baseball to score a run as Windsor Locks/Windsor (NCL) beat Post 143 on Saturday, 3-0 at Muzzy Field in Bristol.

The win lifts Windsor Locks/Windsor (18-6) into the upcoming Eastern Regional tournament at Fitton Field in Shrewsbury, Mass., beginning on Wednesday morning.

Santaniello pitched a complete-game shutout for the squad that merged together before this season began.

Ten teams from around the state, the top two teams in each of the five zones, played in the Northeast Regional qualifying tournament over the past week. The tournament was held to determine Connecticut’s representative in the tournament. Connecticut’s 32-team, single-elimination state tournament begins this week.

The start of the 2021 American Legion season was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Needing a representative by August 1, the state American Legion baseball committee decided to host their qualifying tournament.

Windsor Locks/Windsor, out of Zone 3, had to win a qualifying game to earn a spot in the eight-team double elimination tournament and the squad won four straight games before suffering their first loss of the tournament on Friday against Greenwich.

In Saturday’s championship game, Santaniello outdueled Fairfield Legion pitcher Charles Monteiro, who allowed seven hits and struck out seven.

Windsor Locks/Windsor got all the runs they would need in the top of the fourth inning. With two outs and a runner on first base, Windsor Locks/Windsor hitter Tyler Ruff singled moving Santaniello to second base. Hunter DeMarco singled to left field to drive in Santaniello for a 1-0 lead.

Ryan Barthel followed with a two-run single to center field for a 3-0 lead.

Six Fairfield players had hits for Post 143, which is 22-7, while seven different Windsor Locks/Windsor players had hits for the winners.

 


Pairings and results for the 2021 Connecticut American Legion baseball Northeast Regional qualifying tournament. The winner earns a spot in the Northeast Regional tournament in Worcester, Mass.

2001 Connecticut Northeast Regional qualifying tournament
At higher seeds
Single elimination
Saturday, July 24
NCL (Windsor Locks/Windsor) 3, Norwich 0
Greenwich 7, West Hartford 4

Double-elimination
Monday, July 26
(8) Greenwich 3, (1) Waterford 1
(5) Meriden 1,  (4) Fairfield 0
(3) Rocky Hill/Cromwell/Portland (RCP) 1, (6) Wallingford 0
(7) Windsor Locks/Windsor 3,  (2) Madison 1
Tuesday, July 27
Fairfield 1, Waterford 0, Waterford eliminated
Wallingford 6, Madison 0, Madison eliminated
Wednesday, July 28
Meriden 7, Greenwich 6
Windsor Locks/Windsor 6, RCP 3
Thursday, July 29
Fairfield 4, RCP 2, RCP eliminated
Greenwich 5, Wallingford 1, Wallingford eliminated
Windsor Locks/Windsor 7,  Meriden 2
Friday, July 30
At Muzzy Field, Bristol
Fairfield 4, Meriden 0, Meriden eliminated
Greenwich 5, Windsor Locks/Windsor 1
Saturday, July 31
At Muzzy Field, Bristol
Fairfield 4, Greenwich 2, Greenwich eliminated
Final: Windsor Locks/Windsor 3, Fairfield 0

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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