Story about Twister awards

Story about Twister awards from Aug. 12:

In spite of a trying year on the field, several Torrington Twisters were recognized by their general manager and coaches for their performances on and off the field.

Torrington General Manager Kirk Fredriksson and the coaching staff voted on four awards, which are given out each year. The award winners are Robert Chimpky, Brian Baudinet, Corey Huffine, Andrew Triggs and Chase Austin. Huffine and Triggs shared the same award.

Chimpky was chosen for this year's Ryan Kearney Award, which is given to the most outstanding pitcher on the team. Kearney was a lights-out pitcher on the inaugural Twisters team in 1997. Kearney won the league's top pitcher award that season.

"(Chimpky) wasn't afraid to take the ball, no matter what the situation was," Fredriksson said.

Chimpky began the season as the team's set-up man, but quickly shifted into the closer's role after Steve Geltz was signed by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Though he did not get many chances, Chimpky made the most of them, saving five games in five attempts. Chimpky went 2-1 with a 3.63 ERA in 16 appearances, according to the NECBL's Web site. In 17 1-3 innings, he gave up 11 runs (seven earned) on 20 hits, striking out 24, while walking four. Chimpky made the Southern Division All-Star team.

"A good guy," Fredriksson said. "What he lacks in stature he makes up for in determination."

Brian Baudinet, a Watertown resident, was chosen as the team's most valuable player, the honor for which is the David Benham Award, named after a star player on the 1997 team.

"The kid got better as the season went on," Fredriksson said.
Fredriksson said Baudinet was a fun player to have on the team and added that Baudinet's appearance on the all-star team should be credited to his hard work.Baudinet started every game (37) he played in, hitting .256 with a home run and 14 runs batted in. Though his hitting took a while to come around, Baudinet was a threat on defense, recording six outfield assists and keeping many runners from trying to advance on him as the season wore on.

"We hope to have him back next year," Fredriksson said.

Two players on the team were the recipient of the Jeff Hourigan Sportsmanship Award. Hourigan played in Torrington for three years, making the All-Star team in all three years. But Hourigan was just as valuable off the field, Fredriksson said. Hourigan won the league sportsmanship award in 2004.

"Jeff Hourigan's one of the most outstanding individuals to play for us," Fredriksson said. "Even if he wasn't that kind of player, you want him on your team, because of the way he treats people and the way he treats the team."

The winners are Corey Huffine and Andrew Triggs. Huffine continued to improve in the field at third base and at the plate.

"Corey came in here as a replacement (for another player)," Fredriksson said. "He worked hard every day. He played hard every day."

Fredriksson said Huffine was a great kid.

"He was a real pleasure to have on the team," Fredriksson said. "He's a coach's dream."

Another hard worker was Triggs. Pitching for the first time in two years because of Tommy John surgery, Triggs played hard and took the ball when asked, even if his numbers did not always back up his effort.

"He was one guy who showed up every day," Fredriksson said. "I hope we have him back next year. Just a great kid."

Both Huffine and Triggs got the award because of the sportsmanship, professionalism and attitude that they each exhibited.

Winning the team's batting award was Chase Austin. The award was named after Jimmy Deschaine, who set the league record for batting average in Torrington's first season, hitting .429 in 1997. Austin hit .313 this season with four homers and 22 runs batted in.

"Chase was probably our best hitter this year," Fredriksson said. "He hit for power at times when we needed it. He hit to all fields later in the year."

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.

Matthews wins it for Torrington in 11th

Jaren Mathews (Rutgers) got the Twisters back to .500 with one swing, blasting an 11th-inning solo homer to lead Torrington to a 3-2 victory over the SteepleCats in North Adams, Mass.
Mathews added a double and two runs scored to his strong day while Josh Chasse (San Diego State) went 2-for-5 with two runs batted in for the Twisters (9-9). Danny Beck (Southern California) got the win (2-0) with one inning of scoreless relief. Robert Chimpky (Utah) picked up his fourth save. North Adams is 8-14.

Twisters stun Silkworms

The Torrington Twisters rallied from a 6-0 deficit entering the eighth inning to beat the Manchester Silkworms 7-6 Monday night.
Craig Schneider's three near-perfect innings of relief kept Torrington in the game long enough to make a comeback. Schneider (Alderson Broaddus) gave up one hit, striking out two in relief of Josh Smith (Lipscomb), who was roughed up for 6 runs on 8 hits. Smith walked 6, but was also hurt by Twister errors.
Torrington could not get it going against Manchester starter Tyler Hyde (Middle Tennessee State), despite Hyde's 5 walks. The Twisters struck for 3 runs in 1.2 innings against reliever James Kukucka (Eastern Connecticut State), thanks in part to 4 walks from Kukucka. Torrington also beat up on reliever Brandon Otto (Le Moyne), getting 4 runs (3 earned) on 2 hits in a third of an inning. Otto helped the Twisters by walking 2 batters.
Five Silkworm pitchers combined to walk 12 Twisters Monday. Robert Chimpky (Utah) surrendered only a walk in the ninth while picking up his third save of the season.
Sixth different Torrington batters drove in one run, led by Southern California's Joe De Pinto (4-for-5, double, 2 runs scored, stolen base). Utah's Corey Shimada (2-for-6, run scored), San Diego State's Josh Chasse (0-for-4, 2 walks), Rutger's Jaren Mathews (2-for-4, 2 walks), Brian Baudinet (0-for-3, 3 walks) and Chandler Gilbert's Rick Wilson (1-for-3, run scored, 2 walks) each drove in a run for the Twisters.
Torrington, back at .500 at 8-8, also got a strong day from Goshen native Andrew Rocco (UConn-Avery Point). Rocco went 2-for-4 and scored 2 runs. Pitcher Danny Beck (USC) scored a run as a pinch runner for the Twisters.
Torrington was rained out Tuesday night. The Twisters were due to play their third game in a row against Manchester.

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 beats Keene

After being rained out for the sixth time this season Monday night, the Twisters got back into the swing of things with a 3-1 win over the Northern Division-leading Keene Swamps Bats in Keene, N.H., Tuesday night, according to the NECBL's Web site.
The win puts Torrington back at .500 at 5-5. The Twisters were rained out Monday night in Lynn, Mass., where they were scheduled to play the North Shore Navigators.
Jonathan Cluff (BYU) got the night started for Torrington with a solo homer to right center in the top of the third. Three batters later, Corey Shimada (Utah) made it 2-0 with a solo shot of his own to right center.
The Twisters extended their lead to 3-0 in the seventh on an RBI single by Brian Baudinet (UMass-Amherst). Keene scored its only run in the bottom of the seventh on an RBI single by Josh Chester (St. Petersburg). Chester was thrown out by Cluff (the right fielder) attempting to stretch his single into a double.
Josh Smith (Lipscomb) picked up his second win of the year with another strong performance. Smith went 8 innings, allowing a single run on five hits, striking out 12 while walking just 2. Robert Chimpky (Utah) pitching the final inning, giving up no runs on two hits while striking out three, picking up his first save of the season.
James Wise (Washington State), the NECBL's co-pitcher of the week with Josh Zeid of Torrington in Week One, suffered the loss. Wise pitched 7 innings, giving up 3 runs on 7 hits, striking out 2 while walking one.
Baudinet and Chase Austin (Elon) each had 2 hits.