Pitching, defense carrying Post 17 early on

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Post 17’s Corey Plasky heads back to first base as Danbury’s Sam Loranger watches the bag Saturday in Naugatuck. Danbury won the game, 5-4. –KEN MORSE
Post 17’s Corey Plasky heads back to first base as Danbury’s Sam Loranger watches the bag Saturday in Naugatuck. Danbury won the game, 5-4. –KEN MORSE

NAUGATUCK — As the Naugatuck Post 17 American Legion baseball team enters the third week of the season, the pitching remains a bit ahead of the batting.

“We are getting strong pitching and that is where we have depth,” head coach Robert Swierbitowicz. “Our defense has been solid and if we keep swinging the bats the hits will come.”

On Sunday, Shane Swierbitowicz spun a two-hitter with six strikeouts in a 5-0 win over Danbury to get Post 17 back in the win column.

Naugatuck (2-3) scored two runs in the second inning to take the lead, and Jason Bradley belted a three-run homer in the top of the seventh to put the game away.

Steve Marinaro had two hits, and Andrew Minchella and Patrick Hughes had a hit and run scored as Naugatuck collected seven hits to pick up its second win of the season.

The win was a bit of payback as Naugatuck let one get away Saturday in a tough 5-4 loss to Danbury.

Post 17 wasted a good outing by Corey Plasky (8 innings, 7 hits, 5 runs). An error opened the door and Danbury got a home run in the third to take over the lead after Post 17 built an early 3-0 lead.

Naugatuck battled back to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh but gave up the go-ahead run in the eighth inning.

“That’s the second strong pitching performance by Plasky,” Swierbitowicz said. “But errors and walks will come back and find a way to score on you. They hit a fly ball and when the wind is blowing out towards the school a routine out turns into a home run. It was the only mistake he threw all game.”

Post 17 shortstop Steve Marinaro makes a diving attempt at a ball through the infield versus Danbury Saturday in Naugatuck. Danbury won the game, 5-4. –KEN MORSE
Post 17 shortstop Steve Marinaro makes a diving attempt at a ball through the infield versus Danbury Saturday in Naugatuck. Danbury won the game, 5-4. –KEN MORSE

Plasky threw five innings in the second game of the season against Monroe surrendering just three-hits in a game that was suspended by rain tied 1-1 after five innings.

Naugatuck took on Waterbury June 16 and trailed 5-2 in the last inning. Post 17 was rallying and had the bases loaded with one out when a malfunction caused the lights to go out. That game will be concluded next week.

“This is a tough Zone,” Swierbitowicz said. “No one is going to run away with this. You may drop a game or two and then that team will end up getting knocked off while you come back to beat another team.

“We have a couple of games to finish up that were suspended and we can make up some ground. Then we need to go out and take care of business later next week with a rematch against Oakville.”

Naugatuck will Monroe on Wednesday, then a doubleheader versus Monroe and Easton on Thursday.

Next week, Post 17 will host Easton on June 28, before road games versus Oakville June 29 and Oxford June 30.