Simsbury erases five-run deficit to win Section I opener in extra innings

Simsbury’s Ripley Russell had two hits and drove in four runs in Sunday’s state Little League tournament game in North Haven.

NORTH HAVEN, July 19, 2026 – It wasn’t an elimination game but the pressure was there for the Simsbury Major Division (ages 11-12) baseball All-Star team in Sunday’s state Little League Section I opener with Cheshire.

Cheshire took a five run lead after three innings but Simsbury, who won three consecutive elimination games to win the District 6 title a week ago, scored five runs in the fourth inning to tie the game and won it in the seventh inning, 6-5, on a RBI single from Ripley Russell.

Simsbury (9-1) will face District 1 champion Darien today at 5:30 p.m. in North Haven.

Tied at 5-5 in the seventh, Simsbury’s Caleb Weinberg was placed on second base to begin the inning. He advanced to third base on a wild pitch and scored on Russell’s single to right field for a 6-5 lead.

Simsbury relief pitcher Daniel Cerreta (3-0) got two strikeouts and a ground ball out to secure the game. Cerreta, who came on to the mound in the sixth inning, picked up the win.

Ryder Keiling’s two-run double, Asher Corcoran’s RBI double and Grant Filek’s RBI single helped Cheshire take a 5-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning.

But Simsbury rallied immediately. Landon Medic reached base on a dropped third strike and Grayson Thomson and Gavin Dery walked to load the bases.

With one out, Medic scored on Charlton B’s RBI single. With two outs, Russell ripped a three-run triple down the right field line to cut the Cheshire lead to 5-4. Russell tied the game on Augie Thomson’s RBI single to right field.

Four Simsbury pitchers combined to allow just four hits and strike out nine Cheshire batters.

The game was suspended on Sunday due to rain with Cheshire leading 1-0 in the third inning .

Simsbury 6, Cheshire 5 (7)
At North Haven
Simsbury (9-1)                 000  500  1  — 6-6-0
Cheshire                            014  000  0  — 5-4-1
Greyson Myers, Brendan Hodgson (2), Caleb Weinberg (4), Daniel Cerreta (6) and Gavin Dery; Ryder Keiling, Nico Milano (4), Tristan Odle (4) and Asher Corcoran; WP: Cerreta (3-0) LP: Odle; 2B: Corcoran (C), Henrik Oakes (C), Ryder Keiling (C); 3B: Ripley Russel (S)

Section I
At North Haven
Saturday, July 18
Game 1: Cheshire (D4) 1. Simsbury (D6) 0, game suspended in bottom of 3rd inning
Southington (D5) 2, Seymour (D3) 1|
Sunday, July 19
Simsbury 6, Cheshire 5 (7)
Monday, July 20
Game 3: Darien (D1) vs. Simsbury, 5:30 p.m.
Game 4: Cheshire vs. Seymour, 7:30 p.m., loser eliminated
Tuesday, July 21
Game 5: Southington vs. winner game 3, 5 p.m.
Game 6: Winner game 4 vs. loser game 3, 7:30 p.m., loser eliminated
Thursday, July 23
Game 7: Winner game 6 vs. loser game 5, 7 p.m.
Friday, July 24
Game 8: If necessary, 7 p.m.