For years, the Simsbury American Legion baseball team has played in Zone 1, winning eight zone championships.
But with just four teams from Zone 1 fielding teams and the number of American Legion teams down across the state, Simsbury will be playing in an expanded 14-team Zone 3 this summer.
Post 84 played their first Zone 3 contest on Sunday in a 9-1 loss to Ellington at Memorial Field. Ellington pitcher Ryan Delaney pitched six innings and struck out 11 batters to earn the win. Delaney limited Post 84 to just three hits.
Thomas Lesco led Ellington (1-0) by going 2-for-4 with a triple and four RBI. Nicholas Angeli and Nolan Finan each had two hits for Ellington. Angeli was 2-for-4 while Finan was 2-for-2 with one RBI.
Kyle Anthony (East Granby) had a double while James Fagnant (East Granby) and Jackson Moore (East Granby) each had singles for Simsbury.
Simsbury will be in Zone 3’s American Division with old Zone 1 rival Bristol, Ellington, Middletown, Northeast (co-op of players from Tolland, Stafford, Willington, Ashford and Union), South Windsor and Tri-County (Andover, Colchester, East Haddam, Hebron, East Hampton, Lebanon and Marlborough).
Zone 3’s National Division consists of former Zone 1 rivals Torrington and West Hartford along with East Hartford/Manchester, Enfield, Glastonbury, Windsor Locks/Windsor and RCP (Rocky Hill/Cromwell/Portland).
Simsbury’s roster is primarily made up of players from Simsbury with additional players from East Granby (6), Granby (1) and East Hartland (1) filling out the team.
Simsbury returns to action on Thursday night when they host Northeast at 6:30 p.m. at Memorial Field.
Ellington 9, Simsbury 1
At Ellington
Simsbury (0-1) 001 000 0 — 1-3-1
Ellington (1-0) 010 080 x — 9-9-2
Evan Odegard. Luke Guyer (4), Kieran Beman (6) and Matt Fagnant; Ryan Delaney, Niemczyk and Einsidel; WP: Delaney (1-0); LP: Odegard (0-1); 2B: Kyle Anthony (S); 3B: Thomas Lesco (E)
