Cormier leads defending champion Plowboys to game 1 win

CT Sliders pitcher Henry Marino took the loss in game 1 of their Tri-State League semifinal with Bethlehem on Saturday.

BETHLEHEM, August 1, 2026 – Nate Cormier was 4-for-5 with a double, home run and three RBI to lead defending champion Bethlehem to a 10-2 win over the Connecticut Sliders in game 1 of their best-of-3 playoff series Saturday at Gallop Field.

The Plowboys (15-6) had 11 hits with Isaiah Johson hitting a pair of doubles and driving in two runs. Bethlehem can close out the series with a win in Waterbury on Sunday at 4 p.m. at Municipal Stadium.

Carsten Donovan earned the win on the mound for the Plowboys, allowing six hits, striking out nine and walking just one in seven innings of work. Sam Williams had two innings of scoreless relief for Bethlehem.

Ryan Montini had a solo home run for the Sliders (8-14). Henry Marino pitched four innings and took the loss for the Sliders.

Bethlehem 10, CT Sliders 2
At Bethlehem
CT Sliders (8-14)          000  011  000  — 2-7-1
Bethlehem (15-6)        020  024  02x  — 10-11-0
Marino, Ben Richardson (5) and Jordan Giambra; Carsten Donovan, Sam Williams (8) and Chase Belisle; WP: Donovan; LP: Marino; 2B: Isaiah Johnson (B) 2, Chase Belisle (B), Nate Cormier (B); HR: Ryan Montini (C), Cormier (B); Of note: Cormier (B) 4-5, 2 runs scored, 3 RBI, Jon Wilson (B) 2-4, 2 runs scored, 2 RBI; Johnson (B) 2-5, 2 doubles, 2 RBI; Donovan (B) 7 IP, 9 strikeouts, 1 walk, 6 hits allowed

Wolcott 5, Tri-Town 1
WOLCOTT, Aug. 1, 2026 – Three Wolcott pitchers combined to allow just five hits and strike out 12 to lead the Scrappers to a 5-1 victory in game 1 of their best-of-3 first round series Saturday. Game 2 is Sunday at 11 a.m. at Community Field in Litchfield.

Starting pitcher Alec Ash pitched 6.2 innings, scattering five hits and striking out nine. He walked one. Reliever Drew Rocca struck out three.

Ethan Stepputtis had a two-run home run for Wolcott (15-6) while Carson Lentini had a single and double. Rocca was 2-for-4 with a double for the Scrappers.

Willie Yahn had two doubles for Tri-Town (13-9). Miles Scribner pitched eight innings for the Trojans, allowing nine hits and striking out six.

Tied a 1-1 in the sixth inning, Ben Bianchi’s one out RBI single put Wolcott ahead for good. In the seventh, AJ Martinez reached on an error for Wolcott before Stepputtis’ two-run home run extended the lead to 4-1.

Wolcott 5, Tri-Town 1
At Wolcott
Tri-Town (13-9)              000  010  000  — 1-5-2
Wolcott (15-6)               100  001  21x  — 5-9-2
Miles Scribner and J Grantmeyer; Alec Ash, Drew Rocca (7), Ethan Stepputtis (9) and Josh Dunne; WP: Rocca; LP: Scribner; 2B: Carson Lentini (W), Drew Rocca (W), Willie Yahn (T) 2; HR: Ethan Stepputtis (W); Of note: Wolcott pitchers combined to strike out 12 and walk 5. Ash (W) 6.2 IP 5 hits allowed, 9 strikeouts, 1 walk; Lentini (W) 2-4, double; Rocca (W) 2-4, RBI, double; Dunne (W) 2-3

Candlewood 9, Winsted 2
NEW MILFORD, Aug. 1, 2026 – Pitcher Mason Berna allowed just two hits and struck out nine in seven innings to lead the Kraken to a 9-2 win over Winsted and a 1-0 lead in their best-of-3 first round series on Saturday. Game 2 is Sunday morning at 10 a.m. at Walker Field in Winsted.

Berna and reliever Leo Paragrino combined to strike out 14 Winsted batters and allow just two hits. Nick Lobuono was 1-for-3 with four RBI for Candlewood (14-6), which had four doubles in the game from Joey O’Hara, Lobuono, Zach Mars and Zach Prahach.

Candlewood 9, Winsted 2
At New Milford
Winsted (12-9)            020  000  000  — 2-2-2
Candlewood (14-6)    000  071  10x  –  9-8-1
Weingart, M Gryniuk (5), M Cummings (7) and Warner; Mason Berna, Leo Paragrino (8) and Nick Lobuono; WP: Berna; LP: Weingart; 2B: John Lippincott (W), Joey Ohara (C), Nick Lobuono (C), Zach Mars (C), Zach Prahach (C); Of note: Berna gave up 2 hits and struck out 9. Paragrino struck out 5 and the Kraken combined to fan 14; Lobuono (C) 1-3, 4 RBI; Lippincott and Cummings had hits for Winsted.