Southern Division defeats Northern Division in All-Star game
Two-thirds of the way through a trying season, three Torrington Twisters got the chance to play in the NECBL All-Star game at Fuessenich Park on Sunday night.
Robert Chimpky threw a scoreless eighth inning for the Southern Division team while Brian Baudinet and Chase Austin each played four innings, garnering two at-bats apiece in a 5-2 win for the Southern Division over the Northern Division.
"It’s a dream coming out here," Chimpky said. "It was a long day for all of us."
The day began with skills competitions that did not start until 1:45 p.m., almost five hours before game time. Chimpky, Baudinet and Chasse all enjoyed their chance to play. Baudinet (0-for-2) played four innings in left, while Austin (0-for-1, walk) got in four of his own at third base.
"It was a fun experience," said Baudinet, a Watertown native. "All the guys were good players."
"It was awesome," Austin said. "It was just cool seeing all the talent here."
Newport’s Mike Melillo earned Most Valuable Player honors, going 2-for-2 with a double and two runs batted in. Melillo’s first-inning single drove in John Malloy of North Adams to make it 1-0. Malloy doubled off starter Casey Harmen of Vermont to lead off the inning. After a fly out to center by Pittsfield’s Chris Edmondson, Mike Tamsin of Newport looped a single into shallow left field to make it first and third. Newport’s Alex Gregory struck out, but Pittsfield’s Matt Adams walked, bringing up Melillo.
The South got four more in the third off Holyoke’s Justin Albert. Edmondson singled to center. Walks to Tamsin and Gregory loaded the bases for Adams. Adams grounded into a well-turned, 6-4-3 double play, but Edmondson scored to make it 2-0.
Cue the MVP again.
Melillo drove the first pitch he saw from Albert to deep left-center field to make it 3-0. On the next pitch, Danbury’s Michael Olt blasted a two-run homer well over both fences between the light towers in left for a 5-0 advantage.
"It’s a long day, but it’s a fun day," said Torrington coach Gregg Hunt, an assitant coach for the Southern Division.
More than 20 scouts took in the game behind home plate, Hunt said. The North scored both its runs in the fifth inning off Kyle Vazquez of Pittsfield. North Shore’s Tyler Kuehl reached on an error by Olt to lead off. Lowell’s Nicolas Pecora singled through the right side to put runners on first and second with none out. After James Wood of Holyoke struck out, Kuehl and Pecora executed a double-steal with Keene’s Alex Lee at the plate. A Lee groundout made it 5-1. A wild pitch with Vermont’s Nick Harris at the plate made it 5-2. Vazquez struck out Harris to end the inning.
Four Southern pitchers held the Northern Division’s best players scoreless over the final four innings, yielding one hit and one walk, while striking out four.
NECBL Skills Competition
Several Twisters competed in different events during a skills competition held Sunday afternoon. Joe De Pinto finished second in the most accurate infield arm competition. Chase Austin competed in the home run derby, while Josh Chasse did well in the most accurate outfield arm competition.
UConn’s Michael Olt, of the Danbury Westerners, won the home run derby with 11 homers over three rounds. Danny Petro of the Keene Swamp Bats finished second in the derby. Newport’s Alex Gregory blasted seven homers in the first round.
Adam Dimino of the Holyoke Blue Sox won the 60-yard dash. Steven Felix of the Vermont Mountaineers won the most accurate outfield arm competition, while Jayson Langfels of the Pittsfield Dukes won the infield event and Cody Stanley of the North Adams SteepleCats won the catcher’s competition.
Former Torrington player Jeff Hourigan, a three-time Twister and two-time league all-star, threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
Robert Chimpky threw a scoreless eighth inning for the Southern Division team while Brian Baudinet and Chase Austin each played four innings, garnering two at-bats apiece in a 5-2 win for the Southern Division over the Northern Division.
"It’s a dream coming out here," Chimpky said. "It was a long day for all of us."
The day began with skills competitions that did not start until 1:45 p.m., almost five hours before game time. Chimpky, Baudinet and Chasse all enjoyed their chance to play. Baudinet (0-for-2) played four innings in left, while Austin (0-for-1, walk) got in four of his own at third base.
"It was a fun experience," said Baudinet, a Watertown native. "All the guys were good players."
"It was awesome," Austin said. "It was just cool seeing all the talent here."
Newport’s Mike Melillo earned Most Valuable Player honors, going 2-for-2 with a double and two runs batted in. Melillo’s first-inning single drove in John Malloy of North Adams to make it 1-0. Malloy doubled off starter Casey Harmen of Vermont to lead off the inning. After a fly out to center by Pittsfield’s Chris Edmondson, Mike Tamsin of Newport looped a single into shallow left field to make it first and third. Newport’s Alex Gregory struck out, but Pittsfield’s Matt Adams walked, bringing up Melillo.
The South got four more in the third off Holyoke’s Justin Albert. Edmondson singled to center. Walks to Tamsin and Gregory loaded the bases for Adams. Adams grounded into a well-turned, 6-4-3 double play, but Edmondson scored to make it 2-0.
Cue the MVP again.
Melillo drove the first pitch he saw from Albert to deep left-center field to make it 3-0. On the next pitch, Danbury’s Michael Olt blasted a two-run homer well over both fences between the light towers in left for a 5-0 advantage.
"It’s a long day, but it’s a fun day," said Torrington coach Gregg Hunt, an assitant coach for the Southern Division.
More than 20 scouts took in the game behind home plate, Hunt said. The North scored both its runs in the fifth inning off Kyle Vazquez of Pittsfield. North Shore’s Tyler Kuehl reached on an error by Olt to lead off. Lowell’s Nicolas Pecora singled through the right side to put runners on first and second with none out. After James Wood of Holyoke struck out, Kuehl and Pecora executed a double-steal with Keene’s Alex Lee at the plate. A Lee groundout made it 5-1. A wild pitch with Vermont’s Nick Harris at the plate made it 5-2. Vazquez struck out Harris to end the inning.
Four Southern pitchers held the Northern Division’s best players scoreless over the final four innings, yielding one hit and one walk, while striking out four.
NECBL Skills Competition
Several Twisters competed in different events during a skills competition held Sunday afternoon. Joe De Pinto finished second in the most accurate infield arm competition. Chase Austin competed in the home run derby, while Josh Chasse did well in the most accurate outfield arm competition.
UConn’s Michael Olt, of the Danbury Westerners, won the home run derby with 11 homers over three rounds. Danny Petro of the Keene Swamp Bats finished second in the derby. Newport’s Alex Gregory blasted seven homers in the first round.
Adam Dimino of the Holyoke Blue Sox won the 60-yard dash. Steven Felix of the Vermont Mountaineers won the most accurate outfield arm competition, while Jayson Langfels of the Pittsfield Dukes won the infield event and Cody Stanley of the North Adams SteepleCats won the catcher’s competition.
Former Torrington player Jeff Hourigan, a three-time Twister and two-time league all-star, threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
Labels: Brian Baudinet, Chase Austin, Fuessenich Park, NECBL, Robert Chimpky
posted by Register Citizen Staff at
12:22 AM
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