The Naugatuck Dogs are at it again. The hunt for their third consecutive AABC Stan Musial state title begins tonight as Matt Zahornsky will take the mound for Naugy as it opens pool play with a 7 p.m. match-up with the Housatonic Baseball League’s fourth-place Danbury Grizzlies (10-9) at Rogers Park in Danbury.
Currently, the Dogs (14-5) sit a half game behind Terryville atop the Tri-State League’s South Division, but still have two league games with Waterbury and Brass City to play after the state tournament.
“I know it’s going to be really hard to three-peat, but we’re going to try,” stated Naugy manager Jay Harlamon. “We have a great group of guys that represent the league and Naugatuck very well.”
On Tuesday, Naugatuck will host Terryville in a competition between two of the Tri-State League’s top teams.
“It’s going to be a very tough game (vs. Terryville),” added Harlamon. “The team that makes the fewest mistakes, or gets the key hit, will probably win.”
Both teams will send their aces to the mound, Lance Stevens for Naugy and Billy Armstrong for Terryville.
“Billy Armstrong is a quality pitcher,” explained Harlamon. “It definitely won’t be a slugfest.”
The Dogs are also preparing for the Bridgeport Senior City League’s Danbury Barons (16-10) in what will be their final game of pool play. After pool play is completed, the teams with fewer than two losses will be re-seeded and begin the elimination portion of the tournament.
“We’ve always been a team that has really good chemistry,” said Harlamon. “We know how to win in the tournament, the guys come to play. I like our chances.”
