Burlington can’t play so Bethlehem moves on

The Bethlehem Plowboys are on their way to the Tri-State League championship series scheduled to begin Friday, Aug. 11, at Fuessenich Park in Torrington.

The Plowboys’ semifinal opponent, the Burlington Hunters, are forfeiting their semifinal series because they can’t get enough members to field a team this weekend, according to league commissioner Ed Gadomski.

According to Gadomski, he was told by Burlington head coach Andrew Bunger that there is a wedding event that several players will be attending and some unplanned family commitments that will prevent the Hunters from fielding a team the entire weekend.

Game one of the best-of-three series was scheduled for Friday with game two on Saturday. Game three, if necessary, was scheduled for Sunday.

While this doesn’t happen often, it has happened before. In 2000, the Terryville Titans won their first and only league championship series when the Winsted Thunder couldn’t field a team because many of their college-age players headed back to school. Winsted won game one of the finals but couldn’t field a team for game two or game three.

In the other semifinal series, two-time defending champion Tri-Town Trojans will be facing the Valley Thunder Ducks from Prospect. Game one of the best-of-3 series will be Friday night at 7 p.m. at Fuessenich Park.

Tri-Town swept Bethlehem, 2-0, in last year’s league championship series.

The Tri-State League’s annual Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held before the game begins.