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Avon Legion gets past Bristol, 1-0, to advance to Northern Division final

Avon American Legion baseball player Matt Leopold got the win on the mound and the game-winning hit as Post 201 beat Bristol Thursday night, 1-0 in the Connecticut state tournament.

The Avon American Legion baseball team continues to find a way to win.

Avon Old Farms graduate Matt Leopold picked up his first American Legion victory on the mound, allowing just two hits and striking out four to lead Post 201 to a 1-0 win over Bristol Thursday night at Rotary Field in South Windsor.

The victory puts No. 7 Avon (15-8) into Friday night’s Northern Division championship game against No. 4 Middletown (18-6-1) at Rotary Field beginning at 6:30 p.m. The winner will advance to Sunday’s championship game at Ceppa Field in Meriden against the Southern Division champion.

Avon got two hits but it was enough as Post 201 won their third straight game in the single-elimination tournament. On Wednesday night, Avon ousted Zone 4 champion RCP (Rocky Hill/Cromwell/Portland), 9-3. On Thursday, Post 201 beat Zone 1 champion Bristol for the third time in four games this season.

It’s been a challenging tournament for Avon and the entire field. Avon, Middletown and the two Southern Division finalists Madison and Wallingford have each played three games in three consecutive days while still adhering to the pitch count rules, which has forced the teams to go deep into the roster to find players to pitch.

“Our team enjoys a challenge, and there’s a been a little extra motivation for our guys the last 2 weeks,” Avon general manager Steve Nyberg said. “They know they lost some games earlier this season they should have won, but have showed up against the better teams and certainly this week when it matters most.”

With two starting pitchers unavailable due to prior commitments, Leopold got his first start of the season on the mound for Avon and he went the distance. It was just his second appearance of the season on the mound. He had 14 pitches a week ago in a non-zone game against Middletown.

“He mixed speeds very well to induce contact and the defense played great behind him,” Nyberg said.

Leopold got the job done on the mound and at the plate. Avon’s Christian Boudreau led off the seventh inning by coaxing a walk off Beaucar – just his second walk of the game. Boudreau got a good jump and stole second base, beating the throw to the bag by a step.

With two outs in the inning, it was Leopold at the plate. With two strikes on him, Leopold smacked a line drive into right center field that drove in Beaucar for a 1-0 lead.

Bristol threatened in the bottom of the seventh inning. Ryan Fradette led off with a walk and moved to second base on a sacrifice bunt from Dylan Woodsome. But Leopold fanned Owen Davis for the second out and ended the game when he got Evan Bouchard to ground out.

“The team is really playing loose and for each other this week,” Nyberg said. “After a great night at the plate (against RCP on Wednesday), we won tonight with great pitching and defense. Matthew stepped up tonight as we knew he would and delivered a gem.

“Matthew and most of his teammates have been playing together for years now, and he’s always been about team and about winning. His coaches and his teammates knew if he was given the opportunity he would seize it, and he could not have done more to win us a baseball game tonight.” Nyberg said.

Tyler Bonney had the other hit for Avon in the contest. Post 201 is now 4-2 in one-run games this summer.

Avon 1, Bristol 0
At South Windsor
Avon (15-8)           000  000  1  — 1-2-0
Bristol (17-6)         000  000  0  — 0-2-0
Matt Leopold and Emmett Borenstein; Matthew Beaucar and unknown; WP: Leopold (1-0); LP: Beaucar (5-2)

Friday’s championship games
Northern Division final: Avon vs. Middletown at Rotary Field, South Windsor, 6:30 p.m.
Southern Division final: Madison vs. Wallingford at Ceppa Field, Meriden, 6:30 p.m.

Sunday’s title game
Two winners at Ceppa Field, Meriden

2021 American Legion baseball state tournament

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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