Glastonbury Shuts Out Avon 11-0 in Little League Section 2 Finals

Glastonbury shut out the 11-12 Avon All Star ball players 11-0 after just four complete innings Wednesday in the Section 2 Little League Championships in Uncasville.

The defeat ends Avon's run for the state playoffs. 

After the last match-up with Glastonbury, when Avon lost by only one run to hold Glastonbury to a 6-5 win on July 24, the Avon players believed they had an equal shot at taking the Section 2 championship title and moving on to state playoffs this weekend.

Kyle Emery #10 started off pitching for Avon and faced the heavy-hitting Glastonbury team. In the first inning, Devon Bridgelall #30, of Glastonbury, had a two-run homer. By the end of the inning, five more runs were secured for Glastonbury.

Avon's first four batters were unable to put runs on the board, despite #5 Ian McDonald's double.

With Avon back in the field, Avon catcher Evan Deckers #12 caught a high pop up foul. Avon was prepared for the battle.

Next, down 4-0, McDonald, came in to pitch and attempted to interrupt the early tempo set by Glastonbury. Joseph "JoJo" Suski #13 fielded a ball rocked to center and Jack Prete #3 made a great tag play at third base ousting the Glastonbury player.

Ian Halpin #38 pitched a solid game for Glastonbury. At bat, the Glastonbury players showed they could hit in the holes versus hitting at Avon's players. Avon's hitting was not typical of the games they've been playing during this sectional series. Justin Olson #8 and Prete scored singles.

In the fourth, Andrew Marshall #15 was brought in mid-inning as relief pitcher and found himself in a mercy position, with the score at 10-0. The game would end in the fourth unless his fellow Avon teammates could score, according the the league's mercy rule. The rule states that if one team is winning by 10 runs, at least four innings must be played, and the losing team must close the 10-run gap by the end of the inning for the game to continue.

Glastonbury widened the lead to 11-0 before Avon's Jeremy Zarwanski #9 made the final out in right field, catching another fireball. That meant Avon would then have to score two more points in the bottom of the fourth inning to keep the game going.

However, the game ended after Avon had a scoreless fourth inning at-bat and did not lessen Glastonbury's 10-point lead.

Horns sounded as the large Glastonbury crowd departed the field at Montville. Undefeated during the tournament, they are going to the Little League 11-12 state championships against the winner of Section 1.

Team Manager Mark Olson wrote in an email that despite the loss, "I couldn't be more pleased with the success this team has enjoyed and the resilience they have shown. This team is among the best Avon has ever produced based on how far they advanced in this tournament. They should be proud and hold their heads high. One of the best four teams in the state isn't too bad."

Olson also praised the leadership of assistant coaches Bob Emery, Don McDonald and Walt Suski this season.

Despite losing the sectional championships, Avon preceded sectionals play as the District 6 champion.

"They are outstanding young men that you should be extremely proud of as parents," Coach Olson said, addressing the players' parents