Lewis Mills’ T.J. Maldonado (21) celebrates with Matt Williams (1) and the rest of the Spartans after his grand slam in Wednesday’s win over Farmington in Burlington. (Photo courtesy Steve Barlow)
By STEVE BARLOW
Special to The Collinsville Press
BURLINGTON, May 13, 2026 – Lewis Mills’ T.J. Maldonado had hit three home runs on the season entering Wednesday’s baseball game against Central Connecticut Conference foe Farmington. In one afternoon, the senior catcher doubled that total.
Maldonado crushed three home runs, including a grand slam to deepest center field in the bottom of the sixth inning, to lift the Spartans to their ninth straight victory, 10-9, on a windy, overcast, sprinkle-filled day.
“Three home runs and eight RBI in one day doesn’t happen a lot. It doesn’t happen in professional (ball), doesn’t happen in college a lot. At any level, it’s impressive and you’ve got to tip your hat to him,” said Farmington coach Dave Maljanian. “I told him after the game that’s the best single-player performance I’ve ever seen.”
Farmington (12-4) took an 8-5 lead after sending 10 men to the plate and scoring five runs in the top of the fourth. But no lead was safe in this slugfest.
In the bottom of the sixth, Hayden Melingonis started the winning rally for Mills (12-4) with a sharp single. An error and a bunt single by Matt Williams loaded the bases.
Eli Pavelchak worked Farmington relief pitcher Nate Villa for a walk to force home a run and set the stage for Maldonado, who had clubbed a three-run homer in the first and a solo shot in the third.
“In the cage before the game, I was just focusing on ‘top of the ball, top of the ball, right back at the pitcher.’ Make sure I’m not yanking the ball because last game I was trying to yank the ball. I fixed that,” Maldonado explained.
He sure did. While the first two homers were off fastballs, Villa served him a 2-2 curveball, which Maldonado rocketed over the 382-foot sign in center field.
“T.J. is playing at an All-State level,” said Mills coach Ron Cyr. “He deserves this. He’s been huge behind the plate for us and he carried us today.”
The River Hawks took a 2-0 lead on Chase Clay’s two-run single in the top of the first. Mills answered with four runs in its half of the frame thanks to Maldonado’s first homer and an RBI double by Alec Zeller.
Ty Nogiec’s steal of home in the third narrowed Farmington’s deficit to 4-3. In the fourth, the River Hawks scored five times with Jake Tomkiewicz singling in a run, Juan Bisono doubling in two more and the final two tallies coming across via an error.
In the top of the seventh, Farmington scored on a dropped fly ball in the swirling wind and had two runners aboard with two outs, but Mills got the final out on a grounder to second.
Zeller doubled, singled twice and drove in a run for the Spartans. For Farmington, Chase Clay went 4-for-4 (all singles) and drove in two runs, Bisono doubled and singled with two RBI, and Tomkiewicz had two hits and an RBI.
Despite the loss, the River Hawks are enjoying a renaissance season at 12-4. Last year, they were 10-10 and lost in the first round of the state tournament.
“The biggest thing for us is we’re not scared when we’re down,” Maljanian said. “We always find a way to fight back, whether it’s getting on base, getting doubles in the gap, anything we can do to crawl back. These guys never quit, and it’s the most impressive I’ve seen from our school in a while.”
The Spartans, who were 5-15 last year, have shown the same never-say-die attitude in winning nine straight.
“We only had one senior last year. We had 15 or 16 guys who lettered,” Cyr said. “And give them credit. They worked in the offseason. They took 5-15 a little personal, which is good. They worked hard, and they came back much improved. We’ve been in a couple games like this where they just refuse to quit.”
“The whole team has come together this year. We’ve worked really hard on bonding as a team,” Maldonado said. “It’s been different. It hasn’t felt like this in my four years. This year, it’s different.”
Lewis Mills 10, Farmington 9
At Burlington
Farmington (12-4) 201 500 1 – 9-8-3
Lewis Mills (12-4) 401 005 x – 10-10-5
Jay Clarke, Grant Kintner (6), Nate Villa (6) and Ty Nogiec; Vincent D’Iorio, Alec Zeller (5), Eli Pavelchak (7) and T.J. Maldonado; WP: Zeller; LP: Villa; Save: Pavelchak; 2B: Bisono (F), Zeller (LM); HR: Maldonado (LM) 3; Of note: Mills pitchers combined to strike out 12 with D’lorio fanning 8; Malonado 3-4, 3 runs scored, 8 RBI, grand slam; Zeller (LM) 3-3, RBI; Chase Clay (F) 4-4, 1 run scored, 2 RBI; Juan Bisono (F) 2-3, 1 run scored 2 RBI
