Duffy helps Burlington win first Tri-State League championship

The Burlington Hunters won their first Tri-State League championship on Saturday with a 2-0 win over Wolcott at Municipal Stadium in Waterbury. (Photo courtesy Ed Gadomski)

Burlington pitcher Derek Duffy carried the load Saturday until his Hunter teammates scored two runs in the top of the ninth inning. Then, Duffy shut the door with two of his 11 strikeouts in the bottom of the ninth to lift Burlington to a 2-0 victory and their first Tri-State League championship on Saturday afternoon at Municipal Stadium in Waterbury.

Burlington (24-3) swept Wolcott in the best-of-three Tri-State League championship series, not allowing a single run in two games.

The Hunters gave up just nine hits and struck out 28 batters in two games. Burlington won game one, 3-0, on Friday night at Fuessenich Park in Torrington.

It was a pitching duel throughout game two. Drew Rocca pitched five scoreless innings, allowing four hits and striking out five for the Scrappers (18-9) before reliever Joe Ferrucci came in for the sixth inning and had three scoreless innings of his own.

Burlington made its move with two outs in the ninth inning.

Tim Krol singled over the third baseman’s head and moved to second base after teammate Steve Caruso beat out an infield ground ball.

Catcher Taylor Donofrio ripped a two-out, two-run double to center field to give the Hunters a 2-0 lead. Donofrio had a two-run single in Friday night’s game that extended Burlington’s lead to three runs.

Duffy, who grew up in Farmington and played five seasons at Franklin Pierce College in New Hampshire, quickly shut the door in the ninth. The first batter flew out to left field and the final two batters struck out swinging.

“He is just an animal,” Burlington manager Andrew Bunger said. “I’ve coached a lot of guys but I have never seen anyone who is so like the ultimate competitor. He knows what he needs to go to shut down teams. He is hands down one of the best competitors and best pitchers I have ever seen.

Duffy won the Tri-State League’s Cy Young award in 2025 as the league’s top pitcher. He didn’t get cranky with the lack of run support through eight innings.

“He didn’t say two words,” Bunger said. “Some guys would get mad and say give me some help but that’s not him. He knew what his job was. Once we got him the two runs, it was over. You could see it in his eyes.”

Duffy helped himself by picking off three Wolcott baserunners in the second, fifth and seventh innings. The Scrappers had just men reach base and no one got further than second base.

Burlington had a few other chances in the game.

In the fourth inning, Burlington had runners on second and third base with two outs but Rocca got a strikeout to end the inning. In the second inning, Tommaso Tullis had a lead off triple but was thrown out at home, trying to score on a deep fly ball to center field. In the eighth, Chad Lavelle had a two-out single and stole second base but the rally ended with another strikeout by Ferrucci.

Krol was 3-for-4 with a double and one run scored for Burlington while Donofrio drove in two runs.

Ethan Stepputtis was 2-for-3 for Wolcott, a third-year team made up primarily of 19-to-21 year old players. There are no players left from the Wolcott squad that won a Tri-State League championship in 2014.

Since the league returned to a best-of-3 final in 1987, Burlington is the first team to win a Tri-State League championship with a pair of shutout victories in the finals.

Burlington 2, Wolcott 0
At Waterbury
Burlington (24-3)         000  000  002  — 2-8-0
Wolcott (18-9)               000  000  000  — 0-5-0
Derek Duffy and Taylor Donofrio; Drew Rocca, Joe Ferrucci and Joe Dunne; WP: Duffy; LP: Ferrucci; 2B: Donofrio (B), Tim Krol (B); 3B: Tommaso Tollis (B); Of note: Duffy went the distance, allowing 5 hits, walking one and striking out 11. Donofrio had a two-out double in the ninth to drive in the winning run. Krol (B) 3-4, 1 run scored; Duffy picked off three Wolcott runners; Ethan Stepputtis (W) 2-3; With the win, Burlington wins first-ever Tri-State League championship, sets franchise record for wins in a season.