District tournament heats up

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Robert A. Cole Little League second baseman Jayden Tomasella is congratulated after hitting a home run Saturday versus Union City Little League. –KEN MORSE
Robert A. Cole Little League second baseman Jayden Tomasella is congratulated after hitting a home run Saturday versus Union City Little League. –KEN MORSE

Two local Little Leagues have reached the semifinals of the 11-12 district all-star tournament.

Peter J. Foley of Naugatuck and Robert A. Cole of Beacon Falls will meet in an elimination game Wednesday night to determine who reaches the championship round.

The winner will meet Seymour in the championship round of the double-elimination tournament. The winner of the Foley/Cole game will have to defeat Seymour twice to take the district crown. Game one of the title round is scheduled for July 17 at 6 p.m. at Shelton-American Little League.

Cole is 3-1 in the tourney, while Peter J. Foley is 2-1.

Cole advanced to the semifinals with a 5-4 win over Union City last Saturday. Joey Giuliani slammed the door with two strikeouts in the final inning with the tying run on base.

Cole scored four runs in the third. Andrew Rowley and Giuliani scored ahead of a two-run triple from Mike Szturma. Tyler Mei, Ben Brooks and Cameron Heeman delivered base hits for a 5-1 lead.

Union City closed the gap with Joel Alexander, Isaiah Williams and Finbar Galvin scoring in the fifth to make it a 5-4 game.

Ryan Sutherland reached base in the last inning representing the tying run before Giuliani recorded the final outs.

Union City went 1-2 in the tournament.

Cole knocked out Prospect on Monday night with a 2-0 victory.

Prospect had strong performance with 28 runs in four games. Prospect lost their first game to Peter J. Foley, 4-3, then bounced back beating Shelton American (13-2) and Shelton National (12-2.)

The offensive explosion included a four-home run inning against Shelton American led by Jason Claiborn (two homers in one inning, Vinny Denze and John Calcaterra.

In the game against Shelton National, Michael Troiani sparked the team striking first with a home run in the second inning. Every player on the Prospect team added with multiple hits, those players included Austin Bedard, Matthew Belcher, Hunter Laudate, Trey Mastropietro, Noah Scott, Caleb Shirk, Kyle Simpson and Jacob Theroux.

Jason Claiborn had strong performance on the mound in three of the four games with support from Austin Bedard and Vinny Denze. Kyle Simpson had a strong performance in Prospect’s final game against Cole.

PROSPECT WINS 10-11 DISTRICT TOURNEY: Prospect’s 10-11 baseball all-stars continued its undefeated run through the district tournament by coming from behind to beat Shelton American Little League, 7-2. They now head to the Sectionals. Next up they will play the winner of District 5 on July 17 at 6:30 p.m. in Terryville.

PETER J. FOLEY WINS 9-10 DISTRICT CHAMPIONSHIP: Peter J. Foley’s 9-10 baseball all-stars defeated Prospect Little League, 5-2, Tuesday to win the District 3 Championship. Peter J. Foley now heads to the sectionals and will play July 22 at 5:30 p.m. at McCabe Waters Little League in Bristol.