RCP’s Zach Myers came barreling down the third base line after Norwich catcher Connor Doyle threw the ball back to the pitcher’s mound. He was stealing home.
Norwich pitcher David Reischerl, who was just as surprised as everyone else at Dickenman Field, hurried a return throw to Doyle. Myers, however, like a modern-day Jackie Robinson, got a great jump. He slid under Doyle’s tag, leaped up and gave the umpire the safe sign.
Myers' theft of home highlighted a three-run first inning. It was an early deficit Norwich couldn’t overcome.
Norwich’s season came to an end with a 5-3 loss Thursday in the American Legion baseball state tournament.
Norwich was coming off a heartbreaking 1-0 loss in 12 innings against South Windsor , which advanced to the state semifinals with a win over Enfield. RCP, Enfield, and South Windsor each compete in Zone 3.
“(RCP’s) in a really good zone,” Norwich coach Becker Bordeau said. “They came out ready to play. We couldn’t figure out the bats. We walked too many guys and we just put ourselves into a hole that we couldn’t crawl out of.”
Norwich scored two runs in the bottom of the second inning against RCP ace left-hander Myers. Kolby Quinn drew a leadoff walk and Chris Tonucci reached on an infield error. Both runners moved up with stolen bases. Quinn scored on a wild pitch and Tonucci raced home on Resicherl’s RBI groundout to second that made it 3-2.
Myers settled down, getting Norwich in order in the second and third innings while RCP extended its lead with a pair of runs in the third.
RCP’s Austen Vess led off the third inning with a base hit. After an infield hit and a walk, Vess scored from third on a wild pitch. After another walk, Brody Reid’s base loaded RBI groundout made it 5-2.
RCP manager Lou Palladino took Myers out with two outs in the fifth inning and relievers Ryan Santello and Brady Holzmiller held off Norwich in the late innings.
More: Sea Unicorns shine at Futures League All-Star game
“Myers is a bulldog,” Palladino said. “He just wants the ball every chance he gets. It’s kind of rough taking him out after 60 pitches but I can’t be left without him if we advance. We need him on the mound. It worked out for our guys.”
Norwich (13-11) added its final run in the fourth inning. Derrel Mitchell singled to left, Doyle drew a two-out walk, and Yeremi Garcia lined an RBI single.
More: Danielson ousted in Legion state tourney opener
Norwich relief pitcher Derek Macy did a terrific job holding RCP scoreless over the final 4⅔ innings. Norwich also got sensational defensive plays from Garcia, who saved two runs in the third inning with a running catch near the left field fence, and Mitchell, who take a base hit away from Jaiden Reyes in the fifth with an amazing backhand grab in the hole at shortstop and fired a perfect throw to Ethan Heinsz at first base.
“I’m so proud of these guys,” Bordeau said. “From Day 1 they played amazing baseball and never gave up. I’m really happy to have coached these guys for my first year as a head coach.”
RCP (8-16) meets Enfield (22-2) on Friday to determine who will be the second team to advance from Norwich’s pod.
RCP (Rocky Hill, Cromwell, and Portland) is a legendary program that made back-to-back trips to the American Legion World Series in 2014 and 2015.
“We’ve been swinging the bat a lot better over the last three or four games,” Palladino said. “The way we’ve played the last week and a half, it’s a better seven-win team than you would think this is. We have a lot of veteran leadership and have a lot of kids that have known winning, and they get a little hungrier in the playoffs.”
This article originally appeared on The Bulletin: Norwich Legion baseball season ends on back-to-back frustrating losses
Most Popular
Comments / 0