The way the schedule shakes out, the Brookfield and New Milford baseball teams are facing each other twice in eight days.
Round one went to the Bobcats.
The two squads faced off Wednesday on a beautiful afternoon for a ballgame. It began well for the Green Wave, which scored five runs in the first inning. That was all New Milford would get, however, and the Bobcats kept chipping away until they simultaneously took their first lead, and the win, in the bottom of the seventh, by a 6-5 score, at Brookfield High School.
The Wave and Bobcats are in very similar positions this season, in rebuilding mode with few players who have varsity experience. Wednesday’s outcome was a welcome one for Brookfield coach Dan McKee, who has had to work on getting his players in the right frame of mind for a slate of 20 games.
“We lost all our big hitters, so this is not a heavy-hitting team. We’ll do whatever we have to do to produce runs,” he said. “When we started practices, these guys were swinging for the fences, and I had to change their mindset. Now they’re buying into the system of small ball.”
The Bobcats found themselves in a hole quickly, as the Wave batted around in the first inning. The visitors picked up only two hits, getting help in the form of two walks, an error, and a hit batsman. Bobcats pitcher Ryan Berry retired two of the first three batters he faced, then ran into trouble.
After John Bernardi drew a one-out walk and stole second, Berry notched his first strikeout. Then came a throwing error, followed by a walk, to load the bags. Louis D’Ariano got plunked, plating Bernardi, and then Greg Ostner launched a double to deep center field which cleared the bases. Ostner got to third on the throw home, and scored easily on Dan Lacasky’s single.
“To give up five runs with two outs is unacceptable,” said McKee. “Our defense played better after that, and Ryan did what he had to do to keep us in it.”
After that rough first, Berry settled down. He didn’t give up another run, walked just one more, and scattered three more hits. The pitcher did his best to put that nasty inning behind him.
After that rough first, Berry settled down. He didn’t give up another run, walked just one more, and scattered three more hits. The pitcher did his best to put that nasty inning behind him.
Louis D'Ariano, Chris Casanova, Gavin Lavallee and Willy Wagner in back, and Josh Sakis and Joe Crisalli in front.
“I was just trying to keep my team in the game,” he said. “I pitched as well as I could and let them do all the work.”
The Bobcats set about turning things around almost immediately, scoring three runs in the second. Mike Palicz walked and scored on Dave Long’s fielder’s choice. Austin Yusko got the big hit, driving in Long and Evan Mozingo, whose sac bunt was thrown away, with a double to right.
Brookfield got within one with a run in the fourth. The frame started out well for New Milford.Bryson Herr led off with a single , but when Brian Gratt followed by bouncing the ball back to the mound, pitcher Derik Brady snagged it, threw to second where shortstop Ostner was covering the bag, and Ostner relayed to first baseman D’Ariano for the 1-6-3 double play.
Round one went to the Bobcats.
The two squads faced off Wednesday on a beautiful afternoon for a ballgame. It began well for the Green Wave, which scored five runs in the first inning. That was all New Milford would get, however, and the Bobcats kept chipping away until they simultaneously took their first lead, and the win, in the bottom of the seventh, by a 6-5 score, at Brookfield High School.
The Wave and Bobcats are in very similar positions this season, in rebuilding mode with few players who have varsity experience. Wednesday’s outcome was a welcome one for Brookfield coach Dan McKee, who has had to work on getting his players in the right frame of mind for a slate of 20 games.
“We lost all our big hitters, so this is not a heavy-hitting team. We’ll do whatever we have to do to produce runs,” he said. “When we started practices, these guys were swinging for the fences, and I had to change their mindset. Now they’re buying into the system of small ball.”
The Bobcats found themselves in a hole quickly, as the Wave batted around in the first inning. The visitors picked up only two hits, getting help in the form of two walks, an error, and a hit batsman. Bobcats pitcher Ryan Berry retired two of the first three batters he faced, then ran into trouble.
After John Bernardi drew a one-out walk and stole second, Berry notched his first strikeout. Then came a throwing error, followed by a walk, to load the bags. Louis D’Ariano got plunked, plating Bernardi, and then Greg Ostner launched a double to deep center field which cleared the bases. Ostner got to third on the throw home, and scored easily on Dan Lacasky’s single.
“To give up five runs with two outs is unacceptable,” said McKee. “Our defense played better after that, and Ryan did what he had to do to keep us in it.”
After that rough first, Berry settled down. He didn’t give up another run, walked just one more, and scattered three more hits. The pitcher did his best to put that nasty inning behind him.
After that rough first, Berry settled down. He didn’t give up another run, walked just one more, and scattered three more hits. The pitcher did his best to put that nasty inning behind him.
Louis D'Ariano, Chris Casanova, Gavin Lavallee and Willy Wagner in back, and Josh Sakis and Joe Crisalli in front.
“I was just trying to keep my team in the game,” he said. “I pitched as well as I could and let them do all the work.”
The Bobcats set about turning things around almost immediately, scoring three runs in the second. Mike Palicz walked and scored on Dave Long’s fielder’s choice. Austin Yusko got the big hit, driving in Long and Evan Mozingo, whose sac bunt was thrown away, with a double to right.
Brookfield got within one with a run in the fourth. The frame started out well for New Milford.Bryson Herr led off with a single , but when Brian Gratt followed by bouncing the ball back to the mound, pitcher Derik Brady snagged it, threw to second where shortstop Ostner was covering the bag, and Ostner relayed to first baseman D’Ariano for the 1-6-3 double play.
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