The Collinsville River Rats are in the Connecticut North Senior Baseball 25+ championship series for the fifth time. They will host Southington Saturday at Bowdoin Field. (Photo courtesy River Rats baseball)
The Collinsville River Rats men’s baseball team will be playing for another championship this weekend at Bowdoin Field.
The River Rats (19-5) will host the defending league champion Southington Navigators in the Connecticut North Men’s Senior Baseball League’s best-of-3 championship series beginning on Saturday at 10 a.m. in the 25-and-up division. Game two will follow at 1 p.m. and game 3, if necessary, will be Sunday at 10 a.m. at Bowdoin.
Players on the team have to be at least 25 years old. Connecticut North also has a 35-and-up division.
Collinsville and Southington played for the 25+ title a year ago with Southington winning the championship with an extra-inning victory in game three.
Collinsville has been playing in the Connecticut North league since 2007 and have won two championships in 2018 and 2019. The River Rats lost in the finals in 2020 and in 2024.
Both teams come in Saturday’s championship series on a roll. Both have won eight consecutive games. Collinsville won three consecutive games from Southington in July by scores of 9-3, 7-3 and 4-3.
Collinsville has a few players from Canton’s Tri-State League team on the squad. Connecticut North games usually begin on Sunday mornings while Tri-State League games generally begin Sunday afternoons along with game during the week.
Angel Valentin, Tony Nicoletti, Jake Bryant, Steve Dubois and Jeff Mulhall played with River Rats and the Crushers this summer.
According to the latest statistics posted at the Connecticut North website, Nicholetti is hitting. 536 with 30 hits for the River Rats while Valentin is hitting .407 with 24 hits. Bryant is hitting .389 with 21 hits.
Tri-State League players have to be at least 18 years old.
2025 Connecticut North 25+ playoffs
First round (best-of-3)
Collinsville 2, Newington Nationals 0 (8-1, 2-1)
CT Braves 2, Hartford Hammerheads 0 (8-7, 7-1)
Southington Navigators 2, New Haven Cardinals 0 (14-2, 7-1)
Marlborough A’s 2, Waterbury Spartans 0 (forfeit, forfeit)
Semifinals (best-of-3)
Collinsville 2, CT Braves 0 (5-3, 14-8)
Southington 2, Marlborough A’s, 2-0 (4-1, 6-5 in 8)
Connecticut North Men’s Senior Baseball
25 and up division (regular season)
| Team | W-L |
| Marlborough A’s | 15-5 |
| Collinsville River Rats | 15-5 |
| CT Braves | 12-8 |
| Southington Navigators | 11-9 |
| New Haven Cardinals | 9-11 |
| Hartford Hammerheads | 9-11 |
| Newington Nationals | 8-12 |
| Waterbury Spartans | 1-19 |
