Little League tournaments heating up

0
226

Zack Bedryczuk fires a pitch for the Robert A. Cole Little League All-Stars Saturday in a 7-0 win over Shelton American in Beacon Falls. –KYLE BRENNAN
Zack Bedryczuk fires a pitch for the Robert A. Cole Little League All-Stars Saturday in a 7-0 win over Shelton American in Beacon Falls. –KYLE BRENNAN

Robert A. Cole Little League continues to advance in the District 3 Little League Baseball tournament.

RACBL of Beacon Falls defeated Union City in extra innings on Monday night and is scheduled to face Shelton National on Wednesday in an elimination game.

The winner advances to the finals to face Seymour on Friday evening at Peter J. Foley Little League in Naugatuck. A potential final game is set for Saturday morning at PJF.

Union City made a dramatic comeback and tied the game, 8-8, with three runs in its final at-bat.  After a scoreless seventh inning, RACBL scored five runs in the eighth and won 13-8.

RACBL’s Kyle Macek singled home Albert Pangrac III, who reached on a misplayed ball, and Zach Bedryczuk followed with two-run homer to deliver the go-ahead runs. In his second inning of work, Pangrac struck out the side in the eighth to pick up the victory.

Zach Bennard drew a walk and pinch runner David Kiernan scored, while Alex Kalentek got a hit and also scored in the five-run eighth.

Justin Butterworth started for Beacon Falls on the hill and worked into the seventh before reaching his 85-pitch limit for Little League play.

Union City trailed 7-1 in the fifth before scoring four runs. Elliott Via had three hits and Ross Via added two for UCLL.

Dawson Sigetti had an RBI single, while Mike Natkiel, Ryan McCarthy, Matt Pimpinelli, George Cruz, Jonathan Vincent and Mike Patton all had singles for UCLL.

Union City’s Derrick Jagello started and struck out eight in five innings.

Union City advanced to Monday’s game following a 5-1 win over Ansonia last Saturday.  Pimpinelli pitched 5 2/3 and struck out eight for the win.

UCLL used three straight hits in the fifth to take the lead over Ansonia. Ross Via, Elliott Via and Pimpinelli all delivered hits, and after Nate Shulick walked to load the bases, Sigetti added a run-scoring double.

RACBL defeated Peter J. Foley, 7-1, on July 3. Butterworth tossed a complete game with 11 strikeouts. Macek went 3-for-3 with two runs scored and Zach Bennard added a double and RBI. Justin Marks, Pangrac, and Tyler Tomasella all scored a run for Robert A. Cole.

Robert A. Cole Little League All-Stars second baseman Zach Bennard connects with a pitch Saturday in a 7-0 win over Shelton American in Beacon Falls. –KYLE BRENNAN
Robert A. Cole Little League All-Stars second baseman Zach Bennard connects with a pitch Saturday in a 7-0 win over Shelton American in Beacon Falls. –KYLE BRENNAN

Last Saturday, RACBL defeated Shelton American, 7-0, as Bedryczuk hurled a complete-game shutout with seven strikeouts. Bedryczuk also added a two-run homer in a four-run first inning.

Marks, Pangrac, and Macek each went 2-for-3 and each scored in the third, while Kalentek and Dante DiRubba both singled for RACBL in the win over Shelton American.

Robert A. Cole has won four straight elimination games and will look to reach its first-ever 11-12-year-old final. The same group of players won the District 3 9-10-year-old championship two years ago.

Prospect 9-10s reach championship: The Prospect Little League 9-10-year-old All-Stars are the only undefeated team remaining in that tournament and are in the division finals.

Prospect is set to face Seymour on Thursday night in Shelton. Prospect previously knocked off Seymour 3-2 on Sunday, but Seymour advanced out of the loser’s bracket to reach the championship round.

Earlier in the tournament, Prospect earned wins over Peter J. Foley (6-2) and Robert A. Cole (6-0). Should Prospect win Thursday, it will advance to the sectional tournament. Should Seymour earn the victory, there will be a final game Saturday morning in Shelton.