Izzo helps Burlington top Wolcott in Tri-State finals opener, 3-0

Pitcher Anthony Izzo allowed (20) three hits and struck out 12 in seven innings of work as Burlington blanked Wolcott, 3-0 in game one of Friday night’s Tri-State League championship series in Torrington. More game photos

TORRINGTON, August 14, 2026 – Pitcher Anthony Izzo needed a place to play baseball.

He missed three seasons at Union College in Schenectady, N.Y., due to various injuries, including Tommy John surgery to repair a torn ligament in his elbow.

He finally returned to the diamond in 2025 and made six appearances. This past spring, he made 10 appearances including one start, pitching 14.1 innings.

Izzo wasn’t ready to call it a career. He contacted Burlington head coach Andrew Bunger, who was once a coach at East Longmeadow High outside of Springfield, Mass., and saw Izzo pitch at Wilbraham High.

“I just needed a place to throw,” Izzo said Friday night. “So, I just texted him and I was like, hey, can I come throw? He said, Sure.”

Nice acquisition.

Izzo struck out 12 and allowed just three hits over seven innings to help lead the Burlington Hunters to a 3-0 win over the Wolcott Scrappers on Friday night in game 1 of the best-of-3 Tri-State League championship series at Fuessenich Park.

Burlington (23-3) can win their first-ever Tri-State League championship on Saturday in game two if they can beat Wolcott at Municipal Stadium in Waterbury. Game two begins at 2 p.m. Game 3, if necessary, will be Sunday at Municipal Stadium beginning at 2 p.m.

The Hunters, playing in their first final, will send Derek Duffy to the mound to try and secure the title. Duffy was the league’s Cy Young award winner in 2025 as the league’s top pitcher. Wolcott will counter with Drew Rocca on the mound.

“Izzo was phenomenal,” Bunger said. “We played good defense and throw strikes you’re going to win games.”

Izzo and reliver Tim Krol, who pitched the final two innings to secure the save, combined to strike out 17 batters.

Burlington’s Jacob Paschetto slides safely into second base as Wolcott’s Nick Sconziano tries to scoop up the loose ball in Friday night’s Tri-State League final. Burlington won, 3-0 and Paschetto was safe at second base on a passed ball. More game photos

Izzo gave up consecutive singles to begin the game but settled down. In only gave up one more hit in his seven innings of work. He scattered three walks and five of his 12 strikeouts were looking.

“I was starting (the hitters) with a curve ball and then kind of learning on the fast ball later in the count, which is not how I pitched them earlier this year,” Izzo said.

Wolcott head coach Alex Sconziano was pleased to see his Scrappers get the bat on the ball against Izzo, who had 16 strikeouts in a 2-0 win on June 2 and another eight strikeouts in five innings of work against Wolcott on June 7.

“Having a good game plan going in was important because I felt they were kind of getting used to me,” Izzo said.

The closest that Wolcott came to scoring was in the first inning.

With one out and runners on second and third base, Wolcott’s Drew Rocca hit a ball to Burlington third baseman Ty Morin, who threw out the runner trying to score from third base for the second out of the inning. Izzo ended the inning with a strikeout.

In the second inning, Wolcott put runners on first and second base thanks to a hit and a walk but Izzo got another strikeout to end the inning and the threat.

It took six innings before Burlington could score against Wolcott pitcher Aiden Bisaillon, who completed his freshman season at Western Connecticut State in the spring. The Hunters stranded seven runners in the first five innings, including leaving the bases loaded in the bottom of the fifth inning.

Bisaillon struck out Bunger in the to preserve the shutout.

But Burlington finally broke through in the sixth. Jacob Paschetto walked to lead off the inning and moved to second base on a passed ball. He moved to third base on a ground ball out and scored on Krol’s RBI single down the third base line for a 1-0 lead.

Krol moved to second base on a single from Jeff Osak. With two outs in the inning, Krol stole third base and Osak easily stole second base. Both scored on Taylor Donofrio’s two-run single down the first base line for a 3-0 lead.

“I think we have got an easy going team” Sconziano said. “The guys understand. Just put some good at-bats together. The game is a long game and sometimes you get that clutch hit and sometimes you don’t. Tonight, we didn’t get it.”

Burlington 3, Wolcott 0
At Torrington
Wolcott (18-8)               000  000  000  — 0-4-0
Burlington (23-3)         000  003  00x  — 3-8-0
Aiden Bisaillon, AJ Martinez (6) and Joe Dunne; Anthony Izzo, Tim Krol (8) and Taylor Donofrio; WP: Izzo; LP: Bisaillon; Save: Krol; 2B: none; 3B: none; HR: none; Of note: Izzo beat the Scrappers for the third time this year and struck out 12. Izzo and Krol combined to strike out 17 Wolcott batters; Bisaillon (W) allowed eight hits, walked four and struck out six. Donofrio had a two-run single in the sixth inning

2026 Tri-State League championship series
Friday, Aug. 14
Burlington 3, Wolcott 0, Burlington leads the series, 1-0
Saturday, Aug. 15
Game 2: Burlington vs. Wolcott, 2 p.m. at Municipal Stadium
Saturday, Aug. 15
Game 3: Burlington vs. Wolcott, 2 p.m. at Municipal Stadium, if necessary