The Niantic American Legion baseball team did the smart thing- it stayed in Torrington Friday night.
Trust me, you don't get to Torrington from Eastern Connecticut. At least, not very fast.
Niantic plays Shelton this morning in the first game of the Legion Senior state tournament. Shelton comes in with a 23-4 record and is labeled as one of the teams to beat.
Nate Belke (4-1) gets the nod for Niantic this morning against Shelton's Jason Foster (7-1).
The weather is supposed to deteriorate as we travel through this Saturday. That's bad news for Waterford. The Zone VI champ is scheduled to play Plainville this afternoon at 4:30 here in Torrington.
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Palmisano gets his revenge
The top four cars in the second 25-lap Late Model feature at Thompson Speedway were the same as the top four in the first 20-lap Late Model feature of Thursday Night Thunder.
Only the top two spots were reversed.
Marc Palmisano of Hadley, Mass. stopped Jeff Zuidema from winning his fifth feature of the year as he held off the North Brookfield, Mass. driver in the final feature of the night.
Larry Barnett of Ledyard won his second Limited Sportsman feature of the season as he easily bested Scott Sundeen (Douglas,Mass.) in the 20-lap race.
Woody Pitkat made it two straight in the Sunoco Modifieds as he won the 30-lap event to better his position in the national short-track standings.
Only the top two spots were reversed.
Marc Palmisano of Hadley, Mass. stopped Jeff Zuidema from winning his fifth feature of the year as he held off the North Brookfield, Mass. driver in the final feature of the night.
Larry Barnett of Ledyard won his second Limited Sportsman feature of the season as he easily bested Scott Sundeen (Douglas,Mass.) in the 20-lap race.
Woody Pitkat made it two straight in the Sunoco Modifieds as he won the 30-lap event to better his position in the national short-track standings.
Boss wins at Thompson
It wasn't exactly an easy race for Glenn Boss, but the veteran Thompson Modifieds driver has had several of these in his career.
This time, it was one of his friends who wasn't so friendly as Kurt Vigeant of Oxford, Mass. and Boss bumped one another throughout the 20-lap feature.
Boss was able to withstand those bumps, including one that came on lap 19, to capture the checkered flag in a rain-delayed Thursday Night Thunder feature at Thompson Speedway.
Even before the track was completely dry, cars were running on it with Jeff Zuidema taking the first of two, 20-lap Late Model features.
Fred Michalski was leading the longest race of the year for the Mini-Stocks, a 25-lap event, but saw a good night fall well short as he broke before the halfway point and took several cars with him as he tried to get off the track.
Danny Field of Deep River eventually won the race, just ahead of Mike Romano.
Mike O'Sullivan of Springfield, Mass. won the Pro Stock 30-lap race as he held off the hard-charging Derek Ramstrom, the 16-year-old crowd favorite from Worcester, Mass.
This time, it was one of his friends who wasn't so friendly as Kurt Vigeant of Oxford, Mass. and Boss bumped one another throughout the 20-lap feature.
Boss was able to withstand those bumps, including one that came on lap 19, to capture the checkered flag in a rain-delayed Thursday Night Thunder feature at Thompson Speedway.
Even before the track was completely dry, cars were running on it with Jeff Zuidema taking the first of two, 20-lap Late Model features.
Fred Michalski was leading the longest race of the year for the Mini-Stocks, a 25-lap event, but saw a good night fall well short as he broke before the halfway point and took several cars with him as he tried to get off the track.
Danny Field of Deep River eventually won the race, just ahead of Mike Romano.
Mike O'Sullivan of Springfield, Mass. won the Pro Stock 30-lap race as he held off the hard-charging Derek Ramstrom, the 16-year-old crowd favorite from Worcester, Mass.
Racing resumes at Thompson
After about a two-hour rain delay, Thursday night Thunder has begun at Thompson Speedway.
The Late Models are running in the first of two features for them. The first Late Model feature is a make up from the Icebreaker.
The track isn't completely dry as the lower groove remains a little wet from two bouts with rain earlier this evening. The Late Models have not had any problems with the wet spots.
The Late Models are running in the first of two features for them. The first Late Model feature is a make up from the Icebreaker.
The track isn't completely dry as the lower groove remains a little wet from two bouts with rain earlier this evening. The Late Models have not had any problems with the wet spots.
Raining again in Thompson
Rain and Thursday Night Thunder at Thompson Speedway.
Two things that seem to go together this season.
While I'm sitting and watching the trucks go around and around trying to dry the track and get racing underway,I had a chance to talk to a few Red Sox fans about the trade of Manny Ramirez to the Los Angeles Dodgers earlier this afternoon.
I'm shocked! (Please note: I say this with sarcasm), but I couldn't find anyone who objected to Manny's departure to Chavez Ravine.
"That's beautiful!," Bob Wynn, a Sox fan from Wallingford said. "Now, (Boston) will play like a team and won't play like they have a broken lugnut."
Spoken like a true baseball fan at a race track.
Mike Alberto of Blackstone, Mass. was donned in a Red Sox shirt and cap, but there were no tears visible.
"I think it's a good thing because he wasn't playing up to his potential and the Sox need someone in left field," Alberto said.
I talked to a host of people and couldn't find a one that wanted to see Manny stay.
The other thing they were all in agreement about- they all wanted the rain to leave.
Two things that seem to go together this season.
While I'm sitting and watching the trucks go around and around trying to dry the track and get racing underway,I had a chance to talk to a few Red Sox fans about the trade of Manny Ramirez to the Los Angeles Dodgers earlier this afternoon.
I'm shocked! (Please note: I say this with sarcasm), but I couldn't find anyone who objected to Manny's departure to Chavez Ravine.
"That's beautiful!," Bob Wynn, a Sox fan from Wallingford said. "Now, (Boston) will play like a team and won't play like they have a broken lugnut."
Spoken like a true baseball fan at a race track.
Mike Alberto of Blackstone, Mass. was donned in a Red Sox shirt and cap, but there were no tears visible.
"I think it's a good thing because he wasn't playing up to his potential and the Sox need someone in left field," Alberto said.
I talked to a host of people and couldn't find a one that wanted to see Manny stay.
The other thing they were all in agreement about- they all wanted the rain to leave.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Killingly-Brooklyn can't pull it out
The pizza arrived around 7 p.m.
It seemed to be just about the right timing as Meriden held a 9-1 lead over Killingly-Brooklyn in the Senior League state tournament.
But there was a near-prophetic statement from the Meriden third base coach as the pizza delivery was made.
"What are you trying to do? Jinx us?," the third-base coach said as he strolled back towards the Meriden bench.
I don't know if it was the smell of pizza or the lack of pitching, but the pizza wasn't ready to be consumed for another 75 minutes as Killingly-Brooklyn put on a valiant effort that fell just short, it lost 10-9 to Meriden, a team it had beaten 6-4 on Saturday.
The good thing for the Killingly-Brooklyn Senior League All-Stars, it's a double-elimination tournament and Wednesday's loss was its first. It has another shot at Meriden tonight at 5:30 p.m. in Somers.
To the winner tonight go the spoils; a trip to New Jersey for the Northeast Regionals.
That's the good news.
The bad news: No rest for the weary.
The first game of the Regionals, with the Connecticut champ playing, is slated for 10 a.m. Saturday morning.
It seemed to be just about the right timing as Meriden held a 9-1 lead over Killingly-Brooklyn in the Senior League state tournament.
But there was a near-prophetic statement from the Meriden third base coach as the pizza delivery was made.
"What are you trying to do? Jinx us?," the third-base coach said as he strolled back towards the Meriden bench.
I don't know if it was the smell of pizza or the lack of pitching, but the pizza wasn't ready to be consumed for another 75 minutes as Killingly-Brooklyn put on a valiant effort that fell just short, it lost 10-9 to Meriden, a team it had beaten 6-4 on Saturday.
The good thing for the Killingly-Brooklyn Senior League All-Stars, it's a double-elimination tournament and Wednesday's loss was its first. It has another shot at Meriden tonight at 5:30 p.m. in Somers.
To the winner tonight go the spoils; a trip to New Jersey for the Northeast Regionals.
That's the good news.
The bad news: No rest for the weary.
The first game of the Regionals, with the Connecticut champ playing, is slated for 10 a.m. Saturday morning.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Niantic makes it look easy
They made it look easy although it truly never is.
A one-game playoff where the loser goes home puts a little pressure on teams although it was tough to tell by the way Niantic played Tuesday night.
The Zone VI runners-up made short work of Waterbury in South Windsor as they posted an 11-0, mercy-rule win. The victory sent Niantic into the state tournament this weekend where it joins Zone VI champion, Waterford.
Dylan DelaCruz had a pair of doubles and four RBIs to lead Niantic offensively, two of those RBIs came in the first inning when Niantic scored four runs.
Other key players included lead-off hitter Kyle Weiss who got on base three times (two walks and an error), and scored three times. Ryan Fuller tossed in a two-hit, three-run, two RBI night.
Probably the best thing for Niantic, it only had to play seven innings. Thus, starting pitcher Tyler Tonucci, who went the distance, will likely be available for Sunday. Nate Belke, who was ready to pitch Tuesday night, will instead pitch on Saturday for Niantic.
A one-game playoff where the loser goes home puts a little pressure on teams although it was tough to tell by the way Niantic played Tuesday night.
The Zone VI runners-up made short work of Waterbury in South Windsor as they posted an 11-0, mercy-rule win. The victory sent Niantic into the state tournament this weekend where it joins Zone VI champion, Waterford.
Dylan DelaCruz had a pair of doubles and four RBIs to lead Niantic offensively, two of those RBIs came in the first inning when Niantic scored four runs.
Other key players included lead-off hitter Kyle Weiss who got on base three times (two walks and an error), and scored three times. Ryan Fuller tossed in a two-hit, three-run, two RBI night.
Probably the best thing for Niantic, it only had to play seven innings. Thus, starting pitcher Tyler Tonucci, who went the distance, will likely be available for Sunday. Nate Belke, who was ready to pitch Tuesday night, will instead pitch on Saturday for Niantic.
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