GAME ROUNDUP

GAME #1 -- Torrington 4, Bristol 3 -- This was a non-league game with a decent Bristol City League team with a good pitcher.  It was our first game and a game to see everyone in action after (2) weeks of practice.  Nevousness was a good description, yet we committed only (3) errors, but several mental errors.  (4) pitchers got innings and the one who stood out was Corey LaFrance who went (3) innings giving up (2) hits while striking out (5) and walking none. Zac Reardon was the big hitter going 2 for 3 with an RBI.  Pat Baker was 1 for 2 with a run scored and an RBI.  Kurt Houppert was 1 for 3 with a run scored and a stolen base.  This was a good practice game for the team which will get us ready whenever the weather lets us have our first game.

GAME #2 --  Torrington 4, NWCT Orioles 3 -- We get our first league game of the season after a couple of rainouts.  We face a new team in the league who came into this game with a  3-1 record and our guys are looking like deer in the headlights.  We jump out to a 2-0 lead.  In the 1st inning, Edgar Gonzalez doubles, running (limping) the bases with his recently sprained ankle.  Kyle Sanford singles and Zac Reardon singles for the RBI.  In the Third inning, Corey LaFrance opens with a single.  He gets to third and Gonzalez sacrifices him in.  We do not get another hit until the 7th inning.  Meanwhile We meltdown in the top of the 4th with (2) errors and a hit giving the Orioles (3) runs.  Adam Fouco is doing a bang up job on the mound giving up (5)  hits, 0 earned runs, striking out (6) and walking (3) in (6) innings of work.. Kyle Sanford comes in for relief in the top of the 7th with no problem.  The bottom of the 7th starts with Kurt Houppert single.  Time for some small ball and I call inexperienced Tremain Boles to pinch hit because he is an adequate bunter, but the speediest man in the NW Corner. He went down on strikes.  One out and then Josh Calabrese hits a ball to short and the ball is overthrown and the runners advance to second and third.  I now call on our best bunter, Kegan Boe, and everybody in stadium knows what is going to happen.  I ask Kegan if knows what he has to do and his answer "where do you want me to put it down".  Who is this 16 year old sounding like the coolest dude in Torrington with the game on the line. I tell him down the first base line, but he puts it out midway out front and the pitcher gloves it throwing it straight up in the air, (never throw with your glove). Run scores and the game is tied, but wait a minute, we have another runner on base that everyone on the field forgets about, including me.  It's Calabrese, whose head is still in the game, headed for the plate with slide under the tag for the incredibile walk off win. There is no better way to get the season started than with a game like this.  Adam Fouco pitched a great game, but the win went to Kyle Sanford.  That's that way it works sometimes. 

GAME #3 -- Torrington 13, Waterbury 3 -- While it is
 raining  all over the state, it is only misting at times at Fuessenich Park.  The Waterbury coach does not want to travel up because he feels we are going to get rained out anyway.  He shows up 45 minutes late and we get the game going.  It wasn't about raining unless it was the (11) hits that were raining down.  We went the full 7 innings and the field stayed in decent shape, but the grass was wet and the balls were wet and heavy along with the mist.  It did not seem to bother our pitcher, Kyle Sanford as he gave up (2) hits, 0 earned runs, 10 K's and (2) walks in (6) innings. Our defense had only (2) errors giving up (2) unearned runs in what was at best, lousy conditions.  Waterbury, on the other hand, walked (10) and had a least (6) errors to go with our (11) hits.  Leading the hit parade was Pat Baker going 3 for 3 with (2) runs scored and (1) RBI, Kurt Houppert, 1 for 2 with (2) runs scored and (1) RBI, Cody Lemieux with 1 for 1, (1) run scored and (2) RBI, Adam Fouco, 1 for 3 with a run scored and (2) RBI and Kegan Poe with 1 for 1 with a run scored and (1) RBI. Forget the conditions. This was a good night for the Sports Palace Mackers and we are now 3-0 overall.

GAME #4 -- Torrington 13, Amenia 2 -- We are getting better quickly.  Amenia shows up with their youngins, but it doesn't matter to Corey Lafrance as he unleashes his fastball at them.  For (4) innings, Corey is pitching a perfect game.  The Amenia hitters look like they are swinging at the mosquitos and our defense is tight as a drum.  Eventually, all good things come to an end.  Corey is getting tired and the defense decides to take a break which results in (2) Amenia runs.  Corey finishes strong giving up (2) unearned runs on (3) hits, (6) strikeouts and (1) walk.  Offensively we pound out (11) hits.  Leading the way was practically everyone.  Corey was 2 for 4 with a run scored and (1) RBI, Pat baker, 2 for 3, Kyle Sanford 2 for 3 with (2) runs scored and superboy Kegan Boe ,1 for 3 with 2 runs scored and (2) RBI. Eric Giroliman finally found the ball with his bat going 1 for 3 with a double for (2) RBI.  It's early, but all signs are pointed to the positive.  Next

GAME #5 -- TORRINGTON 3, NEW MILFORD 1 -- Finally another close game to test the teams poise.  Adam Fuoco pitched a solid 7 inning game.  Great start in the beginning.  Struggled in the middle and finished strong at the end.  (1) earned run on (8) hits, while striking out (7) and walking (2).  A good pitching outing.  The problem was with the offense.  We could not seem to hit the first New Milford pitcher.  He mixed up a good curve with an OK fast ball that kept everybody at the plate guessing.  (12) strikeouts is the evidence of our frustation at the plate.  We did score (1) run off their pitcher when Eric Giroliman lead off with a booming triple to right center and came home on a fielders choice.  New Milford changed pitchers in the 6th and we immediately jumped all over him when superboy Kegan Boe turned a single into a double with his speed and agressive base running.  Edgar Gonzalez  2 for 3 then follows-up with a triple to bring him home. The next batter, Pat Baker, 2 for 3, doubles Edgar home.  We only had (6) hits on the evening, but we put (3) together for the (2) runs.  Of our (12) strikeouts, (6) were lookers, something we need to improve on if we want to stay winning.

GAME #6 -- TORRINGTON 9, WATERBURY 0 -- We travel to Waterbury for an 8:00 game.  Don't know why since there was no game in front of us.  Instead of getting home at a resonable hour, 9:30 or so, it's after 11:00.  We face a whole new group of players like they are recruited by the game.  No roster submitted, so I do not even know where they are from.  This is the second year of this team not playing by basic rules.  No matter!! Our pitcher Kyle Sanford no-hits them with a blazing fast ball and a curve ball Derek Jeter could not hit on his best day.  (11) K's and (2) walks is the rest of the line.  Our defense lets him down however by committing (5) errors on an all dirt infield.  Coach to Players, MAJOR improvement is needed.  On the offensive side, we are creaming the ball, (14 hits total). Edgar Gonzalez leads off with a 375+ ft solo home run while finishing 2 for 4 with a run scored and (2) RBIs.  Zac Reardon locked in his EH spot going 3 for 4 with (2) doubles and (2) RBIs.  Pat Baker was 2 for 4 with a double and (3) runs scored.  Also entering into the offensive mix was Tremain Boles, the fastest man in the state, well close anyway.  He was 2 for 4 with a run scored and (2) stolen bases and advanced  to a base with aggressive base running on a minor error.  Give him an inch and he will take 90 ft. he is that fast.  Great pitching, great hitting and a so-so defense and we are still undefeated.  We have a short vacation due to the 4th of July and everyone can recover from all their aches and pains for a fresh start. 

GAME #7 -- TORRINGTON FORFEIT WIN OVER NWCT ORIOLES for failure to show up at their field for a regularly scheduled game.

GAME #8 -- WINSTED 5, TORRINGTON 2 --  Through 5-1/2 innings tied at 2-2, it was a pretty good game, well played and well pitched. Then the roof caves in.  While we only had (3) errors, they accounted for (5) unearned runs to put the game away. Adam Fuoco pitched a solid game he did not deserve to lose. In 6 innings he gave up (7) hits, no earned runs with (7) K's and 0 walks.  The Winsted pitcher also pitched a solid game as we only had (5) hits.  Edgar Gonzalez was 2 for 3 that included a solo home run.  Pat Baker was 1 for 3 with a triple and run scored.  Defensively, Kurt Hoppert had a great day at shortstop and Corey LaFrance did not miss anything at third on several chances. Good luck has been with us in the early games, but bad luck has been staking us. Anybody watching the games would see that the defensive lapses would eventually hurt us as the competition becomes more established. This is a young team and inexperience will result in the kind of mistakes that a more mature and experienced team would not likely make.  Although we do not have many options, some changes will need to occur.  This team has good skills, good chemistry and strong pitching and we need to continue to build on that. 

GAME #9 -- Amenia 8, Torrington 7 --  We had this game locked up or so we thought.  Ahead 7-3 in the bottom of the seventh, Amenia playing with all their older guys, scored (4) runs to tie the game up.  (3) walks, (1) error, (2) mental mistakes and (1) hit produced these runs. Poise is not the word for this day. In the Amenia eighth inning, another error put a man on, stole second and a 2-out hit brought him home for the win.  A tough way to lose.  We had (13) hits with Edgar Gonzalez going 2 for 4 with a triple,  a (2) run home run, (2) RBI's and a run scored.  Kurt Hoppert was 2 for 4 with a double and (2) RBI along with (2) runs scored. Adam Fuoco was 2 for 4 with (2) double, an RBI and (1) run scored.  Billy Ward was 2 for 4 with a run scored and Kyle Sanford was 2 for 4 with a double and (1) RBI.  Defensively we had (3) errors, all of them hurt and a handful of mental errors that also contributed to the loss. Adam Fuoco was a standout on defense.  We need to put this game behind us as we have (6) games in (6) days in front of us and (2) losses in a row is not the kind of trend we want to set

GAME #10 -- TORRINGTON 8, WATERBURY 1-- for the 3rd and final time we play Waterbury who has (1) win and beat them 3 out of 3.  Its hard to believe, but we only had (7) hits.  The big hitter was Corey LaFrance 2 for 3 with (2) runs scored, and a (2) RBI home run.  Pa t Baker continues with the hot bat with a 2 for 3 night while Kurt Houppert was 1 for 2 with (2) runs scored.  Adam Fuoco started the game on the mound picking up the win, but injuring his pitching arm for the season.  He allowed (2) hits, no earned runs while striking out (6) and walking (1)  Cody Lemieux finished up the game allowing only (1) hit and (1) unearned run.  This is the end of the sure win series and we will move on to more competitive games.

GAME #11 -- TORRINGTON 8, LITCHFIELD 0 --  In the second half of a double header night, this was a surprisingly easy win over a good defensive team.  It was won on the strength of (2) home runs and on a well pitched game from Kyle Sanford who gave up only (4) hits, (7) K's and (2) walks. We had (9) hits for the game with Kegan Boe leading the way with a 2 for 2 night, (1) run scored and (1) RBI. Corey LaFrance hit his second home run for the evening with (2) runs scored.  Also Hitting the long ball over the fence in left center which was in 375-400 foot range was Edgar Gonzalez, the 4th of the season.  Eric Giroliman was 1 for 2 with a double, (1) RBI and a run scored.  Kurt Hoppert also doubled on a 1 for 3 night and Pat Baker kept his hitting streak going along with driving in (2) runs.  We will see the Litchfield team two more times this week making up for (2) rainouts.  I hope both of those games will be as easy as this one.

GAME  #12 -- NEW MILFORD 8, TORRINGTON 5 -- This was one messy game for us and New Milford took advantage.  This first game of a double header,  started on our side of the first inning with (3) walks, (2) hits including a double, but only (1) run scored.  Bad omen.   New Milford, a good team, used our (3) errors, (6) walks along with (11) hits and a half a doz. mental mistakes to take the win which they deserved since we were giving them the game. No need to say thank you.  We had (10) hits, but the mistakes made too big a difference in the outcome.  Pat Baker is still keeping his hitting steak alive with a 1 for 3 night with a (2) RBI double.  Zac Reardon's hitting came alive going 2 for 3 with a double, (1) RBI and a run scored.  Corey LaFrance was also 2 for 3 with a run scored although he was the losing pitcher of record going (5) innings giving up (8) runs on (9) hits, (6) walks and (3) K's.  On the bright side, Cody Lemieux's bat is coming around going 2 for 3 while pitching a scoreless (2) innings with only (2) hits.  This game stuck so bad, I lost my appetite between games.  Fortunately, a couple of players gave me their left over french fries.  It was that kind of night and was still not over. We get to play Litchfield in the second game, again.

GAME #13 -- LITCHFIELD 7, TORRINGTON 5 -- Since this is our 5th game in (5) days, Our catcher is now pitching which seems like a desperation move, but Pat Baker has pitched before in some former life.  He throws hard with good control except for the (3) guys he hit, but he also struck out (12).  Pat gave up (7) runs, (5) earned on (9) hits.  Not a bad line for stepping into an emergency
situation.  This was not that bad of a game with only (1) error and the usual half doz. mental mistakes.  We had (8) hitsand walked (4) times so we had our chances but could not string anything together  Litchfield's big inning was the 6th when they used (2) walks and (3) hits and a couple of wild pitches to score (5) runs for a 7-1 lead.  We came back in the bottom of the sixth to score (4) runs on (2) walks, (2) hits and (2) Litchfield errors.  Pat kept his hitting streak alive by going 1 for 3.  Our only extra base hit for the game was Kyle Sanford's RBI double. We now travel to Litchfield for another game, the final game in our 3-game series.  It will be our sixth game in 6 days, (3) against the same team.  Sanford will be on the mound to try and break our 2 game losing streak.

GAME #14 -- LITCHFIELD 9, TORRINGTON 3 -- We should have stayed home on this one.  Litchfield scored (6) runs in the bottom of the first inning on (4) hits, (1) walk and (2) errors plus a couple of mental mistakes.  It looks like Kyle Sanford needs more than 3 days rest as he was not in his usual dominate form.  Of course (4) crucial errors, several mental mistakes might have something to do with that.  Kyle gave up (9) runs, (4) earned, on (8) hits, striking out (3) and walking (5).  He did try to help his cause with a 2 for 3 night at the plate.  Pat Baker still has kept his hitting streak alive with a team high batting average of .472, going 1 for 3 and a run scored.  Cody Lemieux is swinging his hot bat with a solid 2 for 3, 1 RBI night bringing his average up to .344.  Billy Ward had the only extra base hit with a triple, a run scored and (1) RBI.  We now have a 3-game losing streak going and some tough competition ahead, yet we are still in first place, (4) points in front of Amenia, who we still have one game with.

GAME #15 -- TORRINGTON 8, WINSTED 4 -- I thought I was in a parallel universe where baseball games were only played in the worst possible way.  I did bounce back to face the reality that this game could not have been played any worse than it was.  We had (8) runs on (2) hits.  There was a total of (6) hits, (12) runs, (16) walks and (18) K's. Errors and wild pitches/passed balls that I stopped counting after (15).  Somebody called the police to try and get their money back, but the game was free.  I will say one thing. The best part of the game was parental loyalty.  It was outstanding. They stayed until the brutal end. You will usually see one of these of games a year (we can only hope).  The game was not without its excitement though.  Edgar Gonzalez hit a long triple to the 400 mark in center. 

GAME #16 -- TORRINGTON 8, NEW MILFORD 0 -- Here it is, the next night after the horror show and what do we do.  Play probably the best game of the year so far against a decent New Milford team  We had a defense that gave up no errors.  Kyle Sanford pitched shut out ball, allowing only (5) hits, striking out (11) and walking (3).  He is now 4-2 on the season.  On offense, we pounded out (9) hits led by Pat Baker with a 2 for 4 night and a run scored.  Corey LaFrance had a solo home run to start the scoring off, his third of the year.  Billy Ward had a triple, his second in less than a week, driving in (2) runs and scoring (1).  Eric Giroliman was 1 for 2 with an RBI triple and a run scored and Adam Fuoco who has comfounded us by consistingly producing RBIs from his 9th or 10th spot in the batting order, accounting for (2) in this game.  This was a good night and a good game to watch and enjoy.

GAME #17 -- AMENIA 9, TORRINGTON 2 -- This was one weird game.  Corey LaFrance pitches a a perfect game for 4 innings and the defense does not commit an error.  0-0 ball.  In the bottom of the 5th, Amenia comes out with capes and masks.  They have (6) hits all they going to have in the game. We have (3) major infield errors and (2) passed balls all we were going to have for the game, and Amenia scores (9) runs.!!!  We set them down again in the 6th, but the game is over.  We, on the other hand, bang out (9) hits, five of them doubles, but Little League base running takes us out of the game.  Wait a minute, I am insulting the Little Leaguers, Pardon me.  Big hitters were Edgar Gonzalez who was 2 for 3 with a double and an RBI, Zac Reardon was 2 for 3 with a double, Kyle Sanford was also 2 for 3 with a double and a run scored.  Corey LaFrance has a line score that reads winner.  (9) runs, 4 earned on (6) hits with 7 K's and 0 walks.  We should have won this game but the big inning bit us in the tushy.  (9) runs in one inning????  I refuse to think of this one any more.  I am in forever mental deniability.  It never happened.

GAME #18-- NWCT ORIOLES 4, TORRINGTON 3 -- Close, but no win and we are still trying for the number (1) playoff slot where we would play the 5-4 winner in the tournament.  We outhit the Orioles 5-4 as Kyle Sanford pitches what should have been a winning game.  (4) runs on (4) hits with (8) K's and (4) walks.  Pat Baker is 1 for 3 with a (2) run home run and a run scored.  Edgar Gonzalez is 1 for 2 with an RBI single.  That happened in the third inning, but we were no hit for the rest of the game.  Not a bad game except we cannot seem to get the bats swinging.  We can still get the #2 spot with winning the next opponent coming up, Winsted.

GAME #19 -- WINSTED 5, TORRINGTON 4 -- This the 3rd straight loss in our battle to get a good seed for the tournament, but it is not to be.  We can only get (4) hits as our bats have died since the middle of the season.  Cody Lemieux gets his 1st start for the season on the mound after several relief appearances. In (4) innings of work, he gives up (5) runs, (3) earned on (5) hits, (4) k's and (4) walks.  On offense, Zac Reardon goes 2 for 3  driving (2) runs, but that's offset by his poorly played (2) run error.  Adam Fuoco gets another RBI, going 1 for 2 at the bottom of the order.  Keegan Boe sacrifices the final run in. Certainly this was not a bad game, but our lack of hitting has been a major roadblock in the second half of the season resulting in our falling to third place and a playin tournament game with the #2 seed which appears to be the Orioles.

GAME #20 -- NWCT ORIOLES 11, TORRINGTON 7 -- This is our first and last playin tournament game for 2011.  Due to (5) crippling errors, (9) hits allowed and (6) walks, this game turned out to another one of those nightmare games that could not end fast enough.  The opposition was not much better in this game although they outhit us 9-7, but they too committed (4) errors and walked (8).  We did not count the many wild pitches and passed balls because after a while, you lose count or you just don't care.  Pat Baker was our only offense as he went 3-4 with a double and (1) RBI.  Pitcher, Kyle Sanford, struggled as a result of the 4-5 out innings he had to put up with.  This is not the way we wanted to go out, but it is the way it is.  I am sure there is a lesson somehere here.  Maybe when the frustation clears, I will be able to figure it out.  Soooo, good night Gracie, the party is over.