Unbeaten Shepaug topples Thomaston

BASEBALL: SHEPAUG 7, THOMASTON 3

THOMASTON — A couple of surprise Berkshire League baseball leaders showed how it’s done in a 7-3 Shepaug win at Thomaston on Tuesday afternoon.

In a game knotted at 3-3 from the third inning, Jack Schneider and Jack Pesce laced a pair of two-run hits in the seventh inning to compete a first-half BL sweep for Shepaug (10-0).

“They played like a bunch of talented seniors and juniors; we played like a bunch of talented sophomores and freshmen with great senior leadership,” said first-year Thomaston coach Pat O’Neill, whose Golden Bears (5-4; 5-2 BL) lost for just the second time in the league.

“We were young last year,” Spartans coach Schott Werkhoven said. “We lost just two starters. These guys learned a lot and their attitude has been fantastic.”

The Spartans got two runs in the top of the second on singles by juniors Joe Brunelli (2-for-3, RBI), Chance Dutcher and a two-run shot up the middle by Pesce (2-for-4, 4 RBI).

Thomaston lost seven starters from last year. Nevertheless, a 2-0 deficit didn’t faze their replacements. Sophomore Matt Fabiano (3-for-4, 2 RBIs) doubled out of a first-inning full count from Shepaug starter Alan Stinson.

In the second inning, Shepaug put Thomaston’s first two batters on base with its only two errors. Freshman Ty Harkness singled in one run. Fabiano singled in two more

for a 3-2 Golden Bears lead.

Thomaston starter Isaiah Johnson, a sophomore, hit leadoff batter Ethan Hibbard (2-for-3, double) in the top of the third inning. Nick Fleming sacrificed Hibbard to second. Brunelli drove him in for the tie.

“We worked hard on fundamentals in the offseason,” Brunelli said.

After Thomaston’s Jon Wilson (2-for-3) and Fabiano led off the fifth inning with singles, both starters were gone. In the top of the inning, Thomaston freshman Keegan Daigle got out of a no-out jam, leaving Spartans on second and third. Dutcher, giving up just one more Thomaston hit in the game, erased Thomaston’s threat in the bottom of the inning with a strikeout and double play, then left Bears on second and third in the sixth.

“I like relieving,” Dutcher said. “I’ve got just one job — get out of the inning.”

In a game begging for several more innings, Hibbard started the top of the seventh with a double. Fleming put down his second bunt of the game, reaching first on a Thomaston error while Hibbard made it to third. Fleming stole second; Daigle intentionally walked Brunelli to load the bases.

Schneider ripped a line drive up the middle for two runs; Pesce tripled to the left field corner for two more.

“I’ve been struggling lately, so I dropped down in the order,” said Pesce, batting in the Spartans’ ninth spot.

“We just go game by game, looking to the future,” said Brunelli.