Glastonbury Legion Eyes Strong Finish

Dan Cantafi pitches for the Glastonbury American Legion 19U team on June 20 as second baseman Drew Curto looks on

Glastonbury’s American Legion 19U baseball team has all the tools in place, now they just have to fine tune some things to make a tournament push.
           
Entering the week the team has lost 10 of 13 games, yet five of those losses have been by a single run.
           
Last week the team took undefeated Rocky Hill-Cromwell-Portland (RCP) to the limit for the second time, before losing 5-4 on June 20. 
           
“We hit well up and down the lineup, we are averaging 11 hits a game,” head coach Brian Suriner said. “We’re working on our defense. It’s good, but not great yet. To beat teams like this we need to play better defense.”
           
In the loss, Glastonbury took a lead in the bottom of the first on an RBI-single from Jack Petrone, which drove home Jayden Sgro.
           
After falling behind 2-1, Elliot Hamilton tripled in the 5th inning, sending home C.J. Butera to tie the game. 
           
RCP again regained lead in the top of the 6th before Glastonbury rallied one more time when Drew Curto tripled in the bottom of the inning prior to Owen Peterson sending him home with a single to knot the game at three.
           
After RCP scored on a sacrifice fly in the top of the 8th, Glastonbury was unable to capitalize with runners in scoring position.
           
All told, Glastonbury stranded 14 runners in defeat. 
           
Dan Cantafi started the game of the mound for Glastonbury, pitching five innings, allowing five hits and two earned runs. Collin Martin relieved Cantafi in the 6th inning, taking the loss despite two solid innings of work.
           
Suriner called the rivals from across the river “disciplined” and he hopes that his team can start winning some of these close contents for the stretch run in July. 
           
“We have a bunch of kids from the high school team that went to the state semifinals, so we have a lot of talent and we just have to put it all together,” added Suriner. “If we can string together some wins, which I think we will, we’re going to be a tough out when the tournament comes around.”
           
The team has also faced a gauntlet of a schedule. Five of the team’s losses have been to RCP and Middletown Post 75, who have a combined record of 23-0 at the conclusion of last week. 
           
“We’re playing well enough to be in close games against good teams,” added Suriner. “This is a bit of a building block for next year, but if we get into the tournament we will be a tough out.”