Torrington splits doubleheader, remains alive in playoff chase

It wasn’t pretty, but the Torrington Twisters remained mathematically alive for the final playoff spot in the NECBL’s Southern Division after salvaging a win in a split doubleheader against the Danbury Westerners and Keene Swamp Bats Wednesday at Fuessenich Park.
Torrington, now 14-26, is two games behind the Manchester Silkworms, who did not play Wednesday. A Twister victory and a Manchester loss today would force Sunday’s rainout between Torrington and Manchester to be made up Friday. If the Twisters win Friday, a one-game playoff would then be played for the final postseason position.
Torrington got a gift in the second game Wednesday as Bryson Rahier (San Jose State) scored the winning run from second base on a strikeout. Jimmy Rivas (New Haven) struck out, but Keene catcher Franco Valdes (Virginia) threw the ball into right field, allowing Rahier to score the winning run in a 3-2 game. The Swamp Bats made six errors in the game.
Rahier led off the ninth with a single to right field.
"You never think you’re going to win on a strikeout," Twisters coach Gregg Hunt said.
Eric Jokisch (Northwestern) left after seven innings with the lead, but Keene got two runs off of reliever Craig Schneider (Alderson-Broaddus) in the eighth on a triple by Cliff Hicks (Franklin Pierce) and a fielder’s choice by Casey McGrew (Wright State) to tie it. Closer Robert Chimpky (Utah) kept it tied in the ninth, with some major help from Danny Beck (USC) in right field.
Beck, who came into the game as a pinch runner in the eighth, chased down a drive by Valdes to the right field fall that threatened to put a nail in Torrington’s season.
Rahier took care of the runner on first base with Aaron Westlake (Vanderbilt) at the plate. Westlake took off on an 0-1 strike, but was gunned down by Rahier to end the inning. It was the second time in the game—and the third time in the doubleheader—that Rahier threw out a baserunner. He has thrown out four runners in the past three games.
Jokisch frustrated Keene’s batters, giving up just four hits and striking out eight while walking just one. He was able to spot his fastball and get Swamp Bat hitters to chase it up in the zone on several occasions.
Torrington took a 2-0 lead in the fourth on a double by Austin Christensen (Chandler Gilbert) and a single by Rahier. McGrew threw home to the plate to try to get Christensen, but the ball was dropped by starting catcher Danny Petro (Eastern Tennessee State), making it 2-0.
In the first game, the Twisters used a bit of hi-jinx to stay close, but could not overcome its anemic offense in a 3-0 loss to Danbury. Westerners left fielder Dennis Accomando (UConn) reached second with a two-out double fifth. The problem for Accomando was that Torrington shortstop Joe De Pinto (USC) never threw the ball to pitcher Brett Miller (San Diego State). As Accomando took his lead, De Pinto ran in from behind to tag him out and complete the hidden ball trick, which elicited a bit of a celebration from the Twister players. In another strange occurrence, third baseman Chase Austin (Elon) broke two bats on consecutive pitches in a key fifth inning appearance. Austin drew a walk after the 12-pitch at bat, but Rivas fouled out to first on a 1-0 pitch against reliever Derek Cotoni (University of Bridgeport) to end the inning with Danbury ahead 1-0.
Playing in their final game of the season, the Westerners (13-29) used six pitchers, who combined to give up two hits, striking out five while walking five.
Miller (8.1 innings, 3 runs (2 earned), 8 hits, 9 strikeouts, 1 walk) pitched well enough to win, making few mistakes all game. In the second, Danbury first baseman Joe Witkowski (St. John's) hit the first pitch of the inning on a line over the left field wall for a 1-0 lead. In the sixth, Shane Kingsley (Marist) led off with a single, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, stole third and came home on a throwing error by Rahier. In the ninth, Paul Bottigliero (Monmouth) hit a one-out double to the left center field wall. Witkowski hammered a single through the box to drive Bottigliero in for a 3-0 lead.
Torrington left nine runners on base, including the bases loaded in the third inning. De Pinto reached on a one-out error and Rivas reached on a two-out error. Mathews walked to load the bases, but Brian Baudinet (UMass-Amherst) popped out to short on the first pitch he saw, ending the inning.

Torrington v. Danbury and Keene - July 30

Torrington plays a do-or-die doubleheader Wednesday against the Danbury Westerners (3 p.m.) and Keene Swamp Bats (7 p.m.).
The Twisters (13-25) are 2 games behind fourth place Manchester (16-24). The top four teams in each division make the playoffs.
Torrington is scheduled to start Brett Miller (San Diego State) and Eric Jokisch (Northwestern). Miller is 1-2 with a 4.88 ERA in 9 games (3 starts) this season, according to the NECBL's Web site. In 31.1 innings this season, Miller has given up 17 runs (all earned) on 29 hits, striking out 28 while walking 21. Opponents are batting .244 against him. Jokisch is 1-3 with a 4.05 ERA in 7 games (6 starts) this season. In 40 innings this season, Jokisch has given up 25 runs (18 earned) on 38 hits, striking out 36 while walking 17. Opponents are hitting .252 against him.
Danbury is slated to start Jonathan Balentina (University of Maine). Balentina is 0-1 with a 5.68 in 10 games (1 start) this season. In 19 innings this season, Balentina has given up 13 runs (12 earned) on 24 hits, striking out 23 while walking 11. Opponents are batting .296 against him.
Keene is projected to pitch Matt Jebb (Maine). Jebb is 1-1 with a 3.90 ERA in 11 games (4 starts) this season. In 27.2 innings pitched, Jebb has given up 18 runs (12 earned) on 32 hits, striking out 24 while walking 11. Opponents are hitting .276 against him.

Torrington splits with Danbury

In an evening that featured the good, the bad, the ugly and even the bizarre, the Torrington Twisters split a doubleheader with the Danbury Westerners Friday night at Fuessenich Park.
Joe De Pinto (USC) sent a jolt through the home fans in the 10th inning of Game 1, launching a solo homer into the river beyond the left field walls to win the game for Torrington 4-3. In Game 2, Danbury took advantage of seven walks, several bunts and a bizarre play in the third inning to win 5-1.
Torrington got a great pitching performance in the opener from Eric Jokisch (Northwestern), who gave a depleted bullpen relief by pitching nine solid innings. Jokisch was hurt by two costly errors, but still managed to keep the Twisters in it until the seventh, when his team tied the game.
Instead of being predictable and coming in with the heat on every first pitch, Jokisch mixed in offspeed, including a nasty changeup. Jokisch’s changeup had some sink to it, which allowed him to induce 12 ground ball outs, including five comebackers to himself.
"Not that many," Jokisch said when asked if he ever had that many balls hit back to him. "I didn’t think that was possible."
In the rare instances when Jokisch fell behind, he relied on his changeup to regain control of the situation. Twice during the game, defensive miscues cost Jokisch.
In the fifth inning with runners at second and third and two outs in the inning, shortstop Chase Austin (Elon) fielded a slowly hit groundball that was closer to third than short. Austin threw off balance to first and his throw was wide, allowing two runs to score instead of one. The play gave the Westerners a 2-1 lead. The throw may not have gotten away had first baseman Rick Wilson (Chandler Gilbert) come off of the bag to block it.
"We made a bad play in the field," Hunt said. "It almost cost us the game. It wasn’t a good decision by (third baseman Corey Huffine) not to field it. It was not a good decision to throw it (by Austin). It was not a good decision to not step off the bag (by Wilson)."
Danbury tallied another run in the next inning thanks to an error that began the rally. On a little roller in front of the plate by Kevin Jackson (Maine), catcher Alejandro Crisostomo (St. Augustine College) threw too high to first, allowing Jackson to reach base. Jackson moved up to second on a sacrifice bunt and scored on Paul Battigliero’s (Monmouth) double to make it 3-1.
Torrington rallied to tie the game in the seventh. De Pinto singled to left. Corey Shimada (Utah) walked on four pitches, bringing an end to starter Dennis Accomando’s (UConn) day after a good performance. Austin atoned for his earlier error by laying down a bunt single to load the bases.
After leaving the bases loaded in the sixth, the Twisters finally came through in a big spot. Jimmy Rivas (New Haven), after spoiling two 0-2 pitches with foul balls, looped a single to right to make it 3-2. After Jaren Mathews (Rutgers) struck out, Brian Baudinet (UMass-Amherst) hit a sacrifice fly to deep right to tie the game. Reliever Brian Craig (Dominican College) got Josh Chasse (San Diego State) to fly to center to end the inning. Torrington would leave a runner on in the eighth and would also leave the bases loaded again in the ninth.
After a groundout to begin the Twister half of the 10th, De Pinto got a first pitch he liked from reliever Ryan Hagan (Franklin Pierce) and deposited it into the river to win the game.
De Pinto had just missed a homer in the eighth when he flied to left.
The second game was not pleasant for Torrington. Danbury jumped on starter Danny Beck (USC) in the first. Shane Kingsley (Marist) walked to lead off and was followed by Michael Olt (UConn), who was hit by a pitch. A one-out single by Battigliero loaded the bases and Beck gave the Westerners their first run when he walked Kyle Mahoney (High Point) on four pitches.
After a sacrifice fly in the second made it 2-0, Danbury took advantage of a weird play to score two more runs. With runners on first (Melvin Castillo) and second (Mahoney), Jackson grounded softly toward third. Austin Christiansen made a low throw to first, which Chase Austin could not handle with a scoop. The ball rolled a short distance behind Austin, and Mahoney took advantage, scoring from second base. Jackson got into a rundown between first and second. The Twisters got Jackson in the rundown, but Castillo (Eastern Connecticut) was able to score from first. After advancing to third on the error, Castillo inched down the third base line, waiting for his chance. Castillo saw his chance and took off for the plate, beating an off balance throw from Austin to make it 4-0.
Torrington got another sacrifice fly from Baudinet in the bottom of the third to make it 4-1, but the Westerners added another run and Danbury starter Teddy Hurvul (UConn) shackled the Twisters for the rest of the game.
Next up for Torrington is a doubleheader beginning today at 5 p.m. against division rival Newport. Looking ahead, a major game at fourth-place Manchester (14-22) looms Sunday. The Silkworms lost 6-0 at Pittsfield Friday night.

Torrington v. Newport - July 24

Torrington hosts Newport tonight--weather permitting--at 7.
The Twisters are scheduled to pitch Eric Jokisch (Northwestern). Jokisch is 1-3 in 6 games (5 starts) this season with a 5.23 ERA, according to the NECBL's Web site. In 31 innings this season, Jokisch has given up 22 runs (18 earned) on 34 hits, striking out 28 while walking 15. Opponents are hitting .279 against him this season.
The Gulls are 20-15, 1.5 games behind Pittsfield (20-12) in the Southern Division. Newport was rained out Wednesday night. Since losing 4 of 5, the Gulls have won 4 in a row, including a 9-7 win over Torrington where the Twisters held a 7-0 lead after 2 innings.
Torrington is 0-4 against Newport this season.

Torrington wins pitcher's duel

The Torrington Twisters got eight strong innings from Eric Jokisch (Northwestern) and a timely hit from Corey Shimada (Utah) to defeat the North Adams SteepleCats 2-1 Sunday night at Fuessenich Park.
Jokisch pitched 8 innings, giving up one unearned run on 3 hits, striking out 6 while walking one. Robert Chimpky (Utah) pitched the ninth, giving up one walk, for the save.
Shimada's eighth inning single to center scored Josh Chasse (San Diego State) with the winning run. The Twisters made 3 errors and left 11 runners on base, but were able to pull out the win. Brian Baudinet (UMass-Amherst) came up big in the field again, throwing out TJ Greig (Malloy College) at the plate to end the third inning.
Shimada, Chasse and Chase Austin (Elon) each had 2 hits for Torrington, now back at .500 at 7-7. North Adams is 6-10. The Twisters face Manchester Sunday at 6 at Fuessenich.

Torrington v. North Adams - June 28

The Twisters host the SteepleCats of North Adams tonight at 7 at Fuessenich.
Scheduled to start for Torrington (6-7) is Eric Jokisch (Northwestern). Jokisch is 0-1 in 2 games (one start) with a 8.53 ERA, according to the NECBL's Web site. In 6.1 innings, Jokisch has given up 6 runs on 9 hits, striking out 7 while walking 4. Opponents are batting .333 against Jokisch this season.
North Adams (6-9) is projected to start Matt Sommo (University of New Haven). Sommo, who is a native of Clinton, Conn., is 0-2 in 4 appearances (3 starts) with a 5.06 ERA. In 16 innings this season, Sommo has given up 10 runs (9 earned) on 15 hits, striking out 10 while walking 6. Opponents are hitting .254 against Sommo this season.

Torrington wins third straight

The Torrington Twisters collected their third straight win with a 7-3 triumph over the Holyoke Blue Sox Wednesday night.
Aaron Barrows (Eastern Kentucky) went 2-for-5 with a double and two runs batted in while Watertown native Brian Baudinet (UMass-Amherst) went 2-for-4 with a triple, run batted in and run scored for Torrington, now 6-5. Goshen native Andrew Rocco (UConn-Avery Point) went 1-for-2 with a double, run batted in and run scored while Jonathan Cluff (BYU) went 1-for-5 with two runs scored for the Twisters.
Danny Beck (USC) was strong on the hill for Torrington. Beck went six innings, giving up no runs on three hits while striking out five and walking two. Eric Jokisch (Northwestern) and Craig Schneider (Alderson-Broaddus) finished the game for the Twisters out of the bullpen.
Torrington got a run in each of the first three innings to take a 3-0 lead. Corey Shimada (Utah) opened the scoring by walking to lead off the game. Shimada came around to score on a fielder’s choice by Chase Austin (Elon). The Twisters got their second run when Joe De Pinto (USC) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the second inning. In the third, Rocco drove in Cluff with a double. Cluff had reached on an error with two outs in the inning. Cluff then stole second.
Torrington broke the game open with two runs in the fifth inning. After Rocco walked with two outs, Baudinet tripled to right to score Rocco. Shimada struck out swinging for what should have been the final out of the inning, but the ball got past Holyoke catcher Craig Turner (Southern Wesleyan), allowing Baudinet to score to make it 5-0 Twisters.
Torrington added to its lead in the sixth on smart baserunning by Chasse. Chasse singled to lead off the inning. With Austin at the plate and one out, Chasse stole second. Chasse advanced to third on a fly out to center field by Austin. A single by Barrows brought home Chasse for a 6-0 advantage.
The Twisters scored their final run in the eighth. Austin doubled to left center with two outs. Barrows doubled, scoring Austin for a 7-0 lead.
Holyoke scored its first run on a fielder’s choice by Alex Wyche (Alexander Baldwin Agricultural College) in the bottom of the seventh. A bases loaded walk to Turner in the seventh made the score 7-2. The Blue Sox got their final run in the ninth. Shevis Shima (Cal State Fullerton) had an infield single with two outs. A Sean Killeen (Trinity College) single score Shima to make the score 7-3.
Torrington hosts Vermont tonight at 7 at Fuessenich Park.

Torrington v. Lowell - June 20

The Torrington Twisters play the second game of a four-game homestand tonight against the Lowell All-Americans at 7.
Scheduled to start for Torrington will be Eric Jokisch (Northwestern). It will be Jokisch's first start of the season for the Twisters. Jokisch last pitched against Team USA in an exhibition game Tuesday. Jokisch went one inning, giving up a run on two hits, striking out one and walking none.
Lowell is scheduled to start Conor Fahey (Worcester Polytechnic Institute), according to the NECBL Web site. Fahey is 0-1 on the season with a 1.80 ERA. In two starts, Fahey has pitched 10 innings, giving up 2 runs on 8 hits, striking out 7 while walking 2. Batters are hitting .229 against him this season.
Torrington is 3-4 while Lowell is 4-5.