Mistakes in seventh cost Simsbury Legion in opening day loss to Newington

NEWINGTON, June 13 – American Legion baseball is back in Simsbury.

Post 84 returned to the diamond on Sunday after a one-year absence when the COVID-19 pandemic caused the cancellation of the 2020 season.

Simsbury made three mistakes in the bottom of the seventh inning and dropped their Zone 1 opener to Newington on Sunday, 2-1.

Trailing by one run, Newington’s Joseph Campbell led off the inning by reaching first base when he was hit by a pitch from reliever Morgan Rybczyk. Newington’s Dom Bukowski flew out to center field for the first out of the inning before Ryan Saiudon singled with Campbell getting to third base.

With Nicholas Cox at the plate for Newington, Coleman scored on a wild pitch and Saiudon scampered to second base. Sauidon scored on an infield error to lift Newington to the win.

Simsbury (0-1) took a 1-0 lead in the fifth inning. Kevin Gallagher led off the inning with a single and proceeded to steal second base. When teammate Owen Murphy reached on an error by the second baseman, Gallagher scored from second to give Post 84 their first lead.

Simsbury had just two hits in the game while Newington had six. Daniel Crouse was 2-for-3 for Newington with a double while Sauidon was 2-for-3 with a pair of singles.

Simsbury returns to action on Tuesday when they host new Zone 1 rival Naugatuck beginning at 6:30 p.m. at Memorial Field and host Avon on Thursday night beginning at 5:30 p.m.

Due to a lack of teams in 2021, there are just five zones this year in Connecticut. Meriden and Naugatuck are new teams in Zone 1 this summer. Meriden was in Zone 2 two years ago in 2019 while Naugatuck was in Zone 5.

Newington 2, Simsbury 1
At Newington
Simsbury (0-1)               000  010  0  — 1-2-1
Newington (1-0)            000  000  2  — 2-6-2
Daniel Gorham, Morgan Rybczyk (6) and unknown; Samuel Dionne, Jon Pyne (4), Austin Howe (7) and unknown; WP: Howe (1-0); LP: Rybczyk (0-1); 2B: Daniel Crouse (N)