Bethlehem’s Ty Boisvert, shown in last year’s Tri-State finals, pitched seven innings of shutout ball to help the Plowboys beat Wolcott Sunday and win their best-of-3 semifinal.
By RICK WILSON
Special to The Collinsville Press
BETHLEHEM, August 10, 2025 – Greg Campbell took care of the plate and Tyler Boisvert took care of the mound Sunday. More than enough to put the Bethlehem Plowboys in the Tri-State Baseball League finals for the fourth straight year.
Campbell was in his 2023 league MVP mode, driving in four runs with a pair of impressive home runs while Boisvert sparkled with seven innings of shutout ball, allowing just three hits and striking out five as Bethlehem posted a 5-2 win over the Wolcott Scrappers at Gallop Field to win the semifinal series two games to one.
Bethlehem (21-4) will be facing a familiar nemesis with Tri-Town, a 4-3 winner over Burlington, waiting in the wings. The four-time defending champion Trojans will be making their fifth consecutive finals, having defeated the Plowboys the last three years, including in three games a year ago.
The best-of-three championship series begins at 7 p.m. Friday at Fuessenich Park in Torrington. Game 2 is at Municipal Stadium in Waterbury at 2 p.m. Saturday and, if needed, Game 3 is Sunday at Municipal Stadium at 2 p.m.
Campbell, a sweet-swinging lefty, took the pressure off Boisvert early when he clubbed a three-run blast in the first inning. It would have been enough, but he added a little more. In the fourth inning he made it 4-0, with a titanic shot to right-center that nearly became a passenger in a car parked in the fire department lot.
“My timing was there today and when I have that it makes me dangerous,” Campbell said.
Campbell’s power display was all the hard-throwing Boisvert needed as he cruised along through six innings keeping the bases off-limits to the Scrappers. His one hiccup came in the seventh inning and shortstop Nate Cormier stepped up for him.
Bethlehem’s Greg Johnson had two home runs in the Plowboys’ win over Wolcott on Sunday.
The Scrappers loaded the bases with two outs and appeared to finally break through on a ground ball up the middle only to see Cormier make a diving stab near second base and throw the runner out at first to end the threat.
Bethlehem added a run in the eighth inning for a 5-0 lead. Wolcott managed to break a 20-inning scoreless drought with two runs in the ninth, but it was little too late. Son of former Plowboy Tri-State Hall of Famer Drew Rocca had two hits for the Scrappers.
The victory capped an impressive turnaround after a 5-3 loss to the Scrappers on Friday night. On Saturday, Bethlehem’s Austin Brown was overpowering on the mound pitching a two-hitter over seven innings with seven strikeouts while Jon Wilson drove in three runs highlighted by two-run triple in a 11-0 win. Campbell and Boisvert kept it going Sunday.
“We just played Plowboy baseball,” coach Rich Revere said. “We knew every game was going to be tough, but we knew we would bounce back.
Austin and Tyler Plowboyed up. They knew it was win or go home after Friday night. “
Bethlehem 5, Wolcott 2
At Bethlehem
Wolcott (19-7) 000 000 002 — 2-8-1
Bethlehem (21-4) 300 100 01x — 5-6-1
AJ Martinez, D Cardinale (5) and Josh Dunne; Ty Boisvert, Carsten Donovan (8) and Jesse Swartout; WP: Boisvert; LP: Martinez; 2B: none; 3B: none; HR: Greg Campbell (B) 2; Highlights: Campbell (B) 2-3, 2 runs scored, 4 RBI, Ryan Reynolds (B) 2-3, 1 run scored; Ty Boisvert (B) 7 IP, 3 hits, 2 walks, 5 strikeouts; Drew Rocca (W) 2-4, 1 run scored, AJ Martinez (W) 2-4. Nick Sconziano (W) 2-4
