TORRINGTON >> After bombing Derby 17-3 in its opener Wednesday, Torrington’s baseball team showed it can also win the close ones Saturday afternoon, in a 4-1 win over Woodland.
“It was almost like a tournament game,” said sophomore Cam Cerruto. “It was 2-1, bottom of the sixth. We’ve got to score and we did.”
Cerruto provided an RBI double. Winning pitcher Jake Reynolds followed with another RBI.
“We kept (Reynolds’) confidence up the whole game,” said Ben Vanotti.
Vanotti had a big hand in that early in the game.
With the game scoreless after one, Woodland’s Brett Petruny drew a walk in the top of the second inning, reached third on a single by Matt Szturma and scored on a wild pitch.
Vanotti fixed that for Reynolds an inning later. Torrington’s Delvin Alvarez started it with a one-out single; with two outs, Nate Manchester smashed a hit off pitcher Petruny’s glove, then got an extra base on a wild throw to first.
Vanotti lined a single to right center for the 2-1 Torrington lead.
The Red Raiders got timely hits; the Hawks did not.
“We’re starting three freshmen and three sophomores,” said Woodland coach Mike Kingsley. “I’m happy with our pitching and I’m pleased with our defense. But we left a lot of guys on base.”
The Hawks stranded 11 base runners.
Distress for Kingsley was part of the pleasure for Torrington coach Pat Richardson.
“Jake was in and out of trouble, but he kept them off balance,” Richardson said.
The junior right-hander walked five and hit two batters in his six innings on the mound, but his walk and wild pitch in the second was the only time it hurt him while giving up just four hits.
“Jake did well,” said Cerruto, his catcher. “When he throws a couple of balls in a row, it shows he’s relaxed.”
“When that happens, I’ve just got to fix my mechanics,” said Reynolds, who threw a no-hitter last year.
Concentrating on his mechanics helped; his defense and hitters had his back for the rest.
Reynolds walked Woodland’s first batter, freshman Zack Bedryczuk. Cerruto, his catcher, threw Bedryczuk out easily trying to steal second.
After Petruny scored in the second inning, Zak Graveline added another hit, then was out along with Szturma on an easy grounder to second-baseman Austin Todd.
The Hawks loaded the bases in the third on a pair of hits and a hit batter. Reynolds caught the last out looking at a strike.
Two more Hawks reached in the fifth on a pair of walks. Reynolds got the call for another third-out strike three.
In the sixth, it was a hit batter and walk, followed by a strikeout and fly to center.
In all, Reynolds put up five Ks when he needed them.
Reliever Marcus Rich continued the timeliness with a scoreless seventh, albeit with two more stranded Hawks on a pair of singles.
“Marcus threw strikes,” said Richardson. “We just have to hit better.”
Woodland’s Petruny, one of Kingsley’s sophomores, was part of that. A lefty, Petruny gave up seven hits, walked none and struck out two.
A year ago, the Red Raiders bombed the Hawks 15-0 in their first match, then went down 13-7 in the second as part of a season-ending slide.
This year, the tournament atmosphere feels better.
Torrington 4, Woodland 1
At Fuessenich Park, Torrington
Woodland 010 000 0 – 1 6 3
Torrington 002 002 X – 4 7 0
WP: Jake Reynolds. LP: Brett Petruny. 2B: T – Nate Manchester; Cam Cerruto.
Records: Woodland 0-2; Torrington 2-0.