NAUGATUCK — A three-game winning streak put Naugatuck American Legion Post 17 back in the thick of things in Zone 5.
Oakville (13-1) was in the top spot of the zone followed by Monroe (9-1) as of Tuesday. Only two wins separated third place from ninth place, and Naugatuck sat in the middle of that logjam at 4-7.
“I didn’t imagine that we would find ourselves in this spot when the season started,” Naugatuck head coach Robert Swierbitowicz said. “We sit in the middle of the pack now and would need lots of help if we drop anymore games.”
“I don’t have any ideas what it would take record wise to make the state tournament, nor will I make any false statements guarantying a spot,” Swierbitowicz added. “We have had some players quit due to playing time and have called on some Junior Legion players to step up, and they have done just that.”
Unable to generate much offense, Post 17 got off the season off to a rocky start. Last Friday, Naugatuck finally got the bats going and battled back from a 3-0 deficit against Oxford to pull out a walk-off 6-5 win.
Post 17 tied the game with three runs in the bottom of the fourth. Oxford took the lead back with two runs in the top of the seventh. Naugatuck pushed three more runs across the plate in the bottom of the seventh to walk off with the win.
“That’s exactly what we needed,” Swierbitowicz said. “It’s the way I felt the boys should have played all along. The excuses should be left behind, and we just need to look forward and take this one game at a time.”
Kyle Torok belted a pair of doubles to drive in runs in the fourth and seventh innings. Jarrett Allen had two run-scoring singles. Shane Swierbitowicz had a pair of hits with a run scored and an RBI, and Zach Royka added two hits and drove in a run. Mike Patton also came through with a run scored to pace the Naugy offense.
Jack Messina held Oxford in check scattering three hits and three runs over five innings on the hill. Derrick Jagello pitched 1 2/3 innings in relief, and Will McDonald ended an Oxford rally with a strikeout.
“Our pitching coach has done well with the new pitch count rule working our staff with minimum stress on their arms,” Robert Swierbitowicz said. “That should pay big dividends toward the end of the season.”
Naugatuck came out aggressive on Sunday in the first game of the doubleheader against Danbury. Post 17 plated two in the first and four more in the second to secure a 6-2 win.
Steve Marinaro pitched four innings, surrendering just two hits. Tristan Crelan went two innings of hitless relief and Torok finished with one scoreless inning.
Patton had two hits, one run and one RBI. Marinaro had a hit, two runs scored and one RBI. Corey Plasky had a hit, a run and a RBI. McDonald and Torok added RBI hits. Allen and Mark Nofri had a hit and run scored.
Naugatuck made it three wins in a row with a 3-0 win over Danbury in the second game of the doubleheader. McDonald pitched four innings, allowing one hit, and Patton allowed one as he completed the shutout on the mound.
Naugy scored one in the sixth and plated two more in the seventh to put the game in the win column. Allen had two hits and one run scored. Marinaro had an RBI double, and Messina had a hit, a run and an RBI. Royka added a hit and a run with Jagello getting a hit and an RBI.
The win streak ended on Monday in a 1-0 loss to Monroe. Swierbitowicz pitched 4 2/3 innings, allowing three hits and one run. Jagello finished up on the mound, allowing one hit. Post 17 had three hits for the game.
Naugatuck will play Oxford on Wednesday and Waterbury on Thursday. Post 17 will play a doubleheader in Bethel on Saturday and a doubleheader at home on Sunday against Monroe.
