Brown helps Bethlehem even Tri-State finals with Tri-Town at 1-1

Austin Brown struck out 10 and allowed three hits to lead Bethlehem to a 2-1 win over Tri-Town on Saturday at Municipal Stadium in Waterbury. More game photos

WATERBURY, August 17, 2024 – It had been years since Bethlehem pitcher Austin Brown pitched in a championship situation.

You probably have to go back to Brown’s high school days at Holy Cross in Waterbury. As a senior in 2019, he helped the Crusaders advance to the Naugatuck Valley League championship and get as far as the Class S semifinals.

His collegiate debut with Western New England University lasted just a few weeks before the season was shut down to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

Life changed and Brown didn’t return to Western New England, remaining in the greater Waterbury area where he grew up. Today, he is an accountant with the town of Naugatuck.

He is also one win away from a Tri-State League championship with his new team, the Bethlehem Plowboys.

Brown threw a complete game Saturday in game two of the Tri-State League’s championship series as the Plowboys edged three-time defending league champion Tri-Town Trojans, 2-1, to force a decisive game three on Sunday.

Brown, who joined the Plowboys in June, had never thrown a nine-inning complete game. He allowed three hits, struck out 10 and walked just one.

Bethlehem (26-2) erased the sting of Friday night’s 10-1 loss to the Trojans that saw the Plowboys commit four errors and walk eight batters.

“We had to erase yesterday and come out ready to play today,” Bethlehem manager Rich Revere said. “We did the job. We made the plays. Austin pitched how we needed today. Austin bulldogged it. He was our guy. We knew he would lead us out here and he got it done.”

Brown, who was talked into joining the team by some of his friends on the Plowboys, approached the elimination game the way he did in high school – with focus and precision.

“It doesn’t matter who is in the box,” Brown said. “Attack the zone. Be efficient. Throw a lot of strikes and get the (Plowboys) back in here to swing their bats.”

Brown also got the defensive play that helped make the Plowboys the No. 1 seed after going 21-1 in the regular season.

Bethlehem second baseman Joe Rupe waits for the ball as Tri-Town’s Willy Yahn tries to steal second base in Saturday’s Tri-State League championship series game in Waterbury. Yahn was out on the play. More game photos

Twice, Plowboys catcher Jesse Swartout threw out Tri-Town leadoff hitter Willy Yahn, who was trying to steal a base. In the second case, it was the seventh inning and Yahn was on second base after hitting a one-out double that drove in teammate Matt Troy to cut the Bethlehem lead to 2-1.

Swartout had the ball waiting at third base and Yahn slid into the tag from third baseman Brett Davino. A strikeout ended the inning and the Tri-Town threat.

“The defense made an outstanding turn, 180 (degrees) from last night,” Revere said.

Swartout also threw out Yahn in the fourth inning. “Two great throws by Jesse,” Tri-Town manager Danny McCarty said. “Jesse threw two balls that were one-hoppers. The kid didn’t have to move his glove. If that ball is any lower or any higher, they are both stolen bases. It’s just baseball coming down to inches.”

Bethlehem took a 2-0 lead in the second inning off starting pitcher Bobby Chatfield, who also went nine innings.

Davino reached on a fielder’s choice and moved to second on a single from Isaiah Johnson. Ian Schmidt’s single drove in Davino from second base while Johnson moving to third base.

The Plowboys tried a double steal with Schmidt being thrown out at second base but Johnson scoring from third base for a 2-0 lead.

“A team like this (Tri-Town), you have to jump on them early,” Revere said. “When we play with a lead, you play with confidence and we played very confident today. Everything in the field was clean We knew it would take three games to win the series so we wanted to come out and play hard and make the plays.”

Tri-Town (23-4) threatened in the seventh. Matt Troy ripped a one-out triple down the first base line and scored on Yahn’s double. But Yahn getting thrown out at third and a strikeout ended the threat.

“You can’t score one run in a championship and expect to win,” McCarty said. ”It will come down to the offensive side of the ball and hopefully we can do it tomorrow.”

Chatfield did his job on the mound for the Trojans, allowing four hits, striking out five and walking just one. Yahn made three consecutive putouts in the fifth inning to retire the side, including a diving catch of a sinking line drive off the bat of Bethlehem’s Jarett Michaels.

Game three is at 1 p.m. at Municipal Stadium.

Tri-Town is scheduled to start Connor Gannon, who won game three last year in the finals against the Plowboys.

“We’ve been here before,” McCarty said. “That is why there is three games. We’ll have a chance to do it again.”

Tri-Town won game three to bring home championships in 2023 over the Plowboys, in 2021 (Terryville Black Sox), 2018 (Terryville) and 2013 (Naugatuck Dogs).

Bethlehem is looking to win their first league title since 2005. The last team to win game two and three to capture the championship was the Litchfield Cowboys in 2012.

“We’re excited for game three,” Revere said. “(Pitcher) Kyle Banche will be ready to go tomorrow. We’re going to come to play baseball and win a championship. Same goal all year. Win the championship.”

Bethlehem has won six previous Tri-State League titles while Tri-Town has won five championships. Tri-Town is looking to be the first team since the Torrington Rebels (1992-95) to win four consecutive league championships.

Bethlehem 2, Tri-Town 1
At Waterbury
Bethlehem (26-2)        020  000  000  — 2-4-0
Tri-Town (23-4)              000  000  100  — 1-3-1
Austin Brown and Jesse Swartout; Bobby Chatfield and Bryon Carr; WP: Brown; LP: Chatfield; 2B: Willy Yahn (T), 3B: Matt Troy (T)

2024 Tri-State League championship series
Game 1: Tri-Town 10, Bethlehem 1
Game 2: Bethlehem 2, Tri-Town 0, series tied 1-1
Sunday, August 18
Game 3:  Tri-Town vs. Bethlehem, 1 p.m. at Municipal Stadium, Waterbury

Recent Tri-State League championship series results
2023: Tri-Town def. Bethelehem, 2-1 (5-1, 4-5, 9-0)
2022: Tri-Town def. Bethlehem, 2-0 (10-2, 4-3 in 10)
2021: Tri-Town def. Terryville Black Sox, 2-1 (5-0, 1-5, 8-5)
2020: No season, pandemic
2019: Terryville def. Naugatuck Dogs, 2-0 (4-2, 5-1)
2018: Tri-Town def. Terryville, 2-1 (3-0, 7-10, 4-2)
2017: Naugatuck def. Tri-Town, 2-0 (13-2, 8-2)