Simsbury’s Quinn Leonard, left, Luke Lefebvre, center, and Jackson Kosky began the celebration after Simsbury won the Distrct 6 championship on Monday night.
PLYMOUTH, July 8, 2024 – It took victories in five elimination games for the Simsbury Little League baseball team to earn a spot in the District 6 Major Division championship game against Avon on Monday night at Janser Field.
And within minutes, Simsbury was trailing thanks a two-run home run from Avon’s James Connellan in the first inning.
But this group of boys from Simsbury has made a living coming from behind and winning games with their backs against the wall.
Simsbury scored four runs in the second inning to take the lead. With the game tied in the fifth inning, Simsbury got a one-out RBI single from Neil Sullivan to take the lead for good in a 5-4 victory.
Avon (6-2) had runners on first and third bases with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning but Simsbury pitcher Jackson Kosky threw out the final Avon hitter to clinch the championship for Simsbury.
Simsbury (6-3) advances to the state tournament where they will participate in the three-team Section II tournament beginning on Saturday.
After losing the first game of the double-elimination portion of the D6 tournament, Simsbury won four in a row to win their second straight D6 Major Division (ages 11-12) championship and the 33rd in program history dating back to 1957.
All six Simsbury wins in the D6 tournament were elimination games. A loss in any of those games would have ended the season.
“The reality is that is who this team is,” Simsbury coach Chris Dalene said. “They don’t quit. They get their backs to the wall and they just never fail to get back up. That is what makes us so proud of them. They get themselves into trouble and they work their way out of it.
“They make the plays when they need to make them,” he said. “They execute when they need to execute. The bats were alive today. We made 90 percent of the plays and we played a real good game of baseball.”
“Avon played a great game,” he said. “A very gritty ballclub. I am proud of both sides. (Avon) should have their heads up high.”
Avon (6-2) won their first six games of the District 6 tournament before dropping an 18-0 decision in three innings to Simsbury on Sunday in three innings. Nine errors didn’t help the cause but with the double-elimination format, there was a winner-take-all game on Monday.
Avon played a crisper brand of ball on Monday night with two pitchers – Connellan and Cole Herzog — combining to strikeout nine Simsbury batters.
Connellan gave Avon a 2-0 lead early in the first inning with a home run to left field, driving in Berkley Nemarich, who had singled.
Simsbury catcher Mason Dalene, left, moves to tag out Avon’s Brandon Negandhi in Monday night’s District 6 title game in Plymouth.
But Simsbury rapped out three consecutive hits in the second inning to get back in the game. Third baseman Quinn Leonard led off the inning with a single and moved to third on a double by Grady McGuire. Gavin Dalene’s double to centerfield drove in two runs and tied the game at 2-2.
With out, Nate Minor reached on an error to put two men on. With two outs, Aidan Brower’s single drove in Dalene. Minor scored on A.J. Joyce’s double for a 4-2 lead.
Avon cut the lead to 4-3 on a solo home run from Jackson Bialas in the bottom of the second inning.
Avon tied the game in the third inning on a two-out RBI single from Will Rice with the bases loaded. Owen Roberts scored from third base but Brandon Negandhi was thrown out trying to score from second base.
Dalene, Simsbury’s catcher, missed in his first attempt to tag out Negandhi, who tried to evade the catcher. But Dalene tagged him out to end the inning.
Simsbury took a 5-4 lead in the fifth inning. Lefebvre walked with one out and moved to second base on Koskey’s single to right field. Both runners advanced one base on a wild pitch and Lefebvre scored on Sullivan’s RBI single.
Rose had a pair of hits and drove in one run for Avon while Connellan was 1-for-3 with two RBI and a home run.
For Simsbury, Leonard and Gavin Dalene were each 2-for-3 at the plate with Dalene driving in two runs.
Simsbury 5, Avon 4
At Plymouth
Simsbury (6-3) 040 010 — 5-9-1
Avon (6-2) 211 000 — 4-6-2
Luke Lefebvre, Jackson Kosky (5) and Mason Dalene; James Connellan, Cole Herzog (5) and Tommy Schultz; WP: Lefebvre (2-1), LP: Herzog (0-1); Save: Kosky; 2B: Grady McGuire (S), Gavin Dalene (S), A.J. Joyce (S); HR: James Connellan (A), Jackson Bialas (A)
2024 District 6 Major Division (ages 11-12) baseball tournament
June 22, 2024
Burlington 12, Thomaston 4
Avon 3, Simsbury 2
Canton 11, Torrington 0
June 23
Tri-Town 6, Canton 4
Avon 12, NW CT Steve Blass 2
East Granby/Granby 8, Simsbury 2
Thomaston 20, Torrington 8
June 25
Tri-Town 7, Thomaston 4
East Granby/Granby 15, NW CT Steve Blass 0
Simsbury 11, Canton 4
June 26
East Granby/Granby 15, Burlington 2
June 27
NW CT Steve Blass 10, Torrington 7
Avon 8, Burlington 2
Simsbury 7, Tri-Town 2
June 28
Tri-Town 6, NW CT Steve Blass 2
June 29
Canton 7, Burlington 4
Avon 13, Thomaston 1
East Granby/Granby 26, Torrington 1
Final pool play standings: Avon 4-0, East Granby/Granby 4-0, Tri-Town 3-1, Simsbury 2-2, Canton 2-2, Thomaston 1-3, Burlington 1-3, NW CT Steve Blass 1-3, Torrington 4-0
Double-elimination round
July 2
East Granby/Granby 7, Simsbury 1
Avon 14, Tri-Town 1
July 3
Avon 13, East Granby/Granby 3
Simsbury 6, Tri-Town 5
July 6
Simsbury 10, East Granby/Granby 8
July 7
Final: Simsbury 18, Avon o (3)
July 8
Final: Simsbury 5, Avon 4
Recent District 6 championship games
2023: Simsbury 2, East Granby/Granby 0
2022: Burlington/Harwinton 2, Simsbury 1
2021: Simsbury 3, East Granby/Granby 2
2020: Simsbury 8, Tri-Town 2
2019: Simsbury 7, Burlington 1
2018: Avon 10, Simsbury 4
2017: Canton 7, Burlington 0
2016: Avon 12, Simsbury 2
2015: Avon 14, Burlington 2 (4)
2014: Simsbury 10, Burlington 1
2013: Burlington 8, Avon 6
2012: Avon 16, Burlington 4
2011: Avon 11, Torrington Americans 7
2010: Simsbury Americans 9, Avon 7
2009: Avon 12, Simsbury American 2
2008: Burlington 7, Avon 5
2007: Avon 8, Thomaston 0
2006: Simsbury National 4, Avon 3
2005: Avon 15, Simsbury National 5 (4)
2004: Avon 8, Simsbury American 2
2003: Simsbury American 12, Simsbury National 2 (5)
2002: Simsbury American 1, Avon 0
2001: Burlington 8, Torrington National 4
2000: Terryville 6, Torrington National 1
1999: Tri-Town 7, Granby 6
1998: Simsbury National 7, Tri-Town 6
1997: Simsbury American 8, Terryville 3
1996: Torrington American 10, Simsbury National 0
1995: Simsbury 10-9, Terryville 4-6 (best of 3 final)
