By Tim Parry

For the first time in 19 years, a team from Connecticut is heading to the Little League World Series.

Shelton National came from behind today and defeated Manchester North, the New Hampshire representative, 2-1 to capture the New England Championship, and an automatic berth in Williamsport.

Trailing 1-0 with one out in the top of the sixth inning, Shelton National’s Tyler Tice clubbed a home run over the center field fence to tie the game. Following a Robert Moretti ground out, Marcelo Ursini lined a laser over the left field fence that proved to be the game-winner.

Moretti struck out 10 New Hampshire batters in five and a third innings work. Eddie Kochiss came on with one out in the sixth to pick up the save.

Whether it was with Manchester North runners on first and third with two out in the bottom of the sixth, or Shelton National trailing 1-0 with the game on the line, Shelton National manager Ed Szymansky said he and his team had faith.

“We always have the feeling inside that as long as there’s time left, we have a chance to win the game,” Szymansky said.

Manchester North took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when catcher Nick Markis roped a home run over the left field fence.

Shelton almost broke through in the fourth inning. With none out and Tice on second and Moretti on first, Manchester North pitcher Carmen Giampetruzzi fanned Ursini and Kochiss, and got pinch hitter Hunter Boles to ground out to second.

When asked during the post game press conference what he expected when his team headed back to Shelton tonight, Szymansky said he wasn’t sure. Then he had a surprise for his team, which had assembled behind him.

“We’re going right to Williamsport,” Szymansky announced.

The game was played in front of an announced crowd of 7,982, which filled the bleachers and surrounded Breen Field at the A. Bartlett Giametti complex in Bristol.

Shelton National went 6-0 in the tournament. For box scores and more, click here.

The Shelton National League had its toughest game of the New England Regional yesterday, and defeated Rhode Island 4-0 in Bristol.

Marcello Ursini went two for two, including a two-run homer, to pace the Shelton National bats. Matt Batten added a solo shot for Shelton National.

Shelton National got a five-inning, one-hit performance on the mound from Robert Moretti, who struck out eight batters and walked one. Tyler Tice threw a scoreless sixth to earn the save.

The Shelton National Little League has now gone two games in the regional tournament without getting out of the fourth inning.

That’s because Shelton keeps evoking the mercy rule. The latest one came tonight, with a 10-0 win over Williston, VT, at A. Bartlett Giametti complex in Bristol.

Eddie Kochiss pitched a one-hitter, walked two, and struck out 10 in four innings of work. Kockiss, Robert Moretti, and Tyler Tice each hit homers for Shelton National.

Shelton National plays Rhode Island at 8 p.m. Monday, then, in a game that will be televised on MSG, plays Massachusetts at 5 p.m. Wednesday.

By Tim Parry

How long has it been since a Connecticut team reached the Little League World Series? It was 1989, and the star of that Trumbull team, Chris Drury, is now a grizzled veteran in the National Hockey League.

But if the Shelton National Little League 12-year-olds keep playing the way they are, there’s a good chance that 19-year streak will be snapped.

In its opening game Friday in the Eastern Regionals, Shelton National defeated Maine state champion Camden Rockport 12-1 in a mercy-rule game that ended in the bottom of the fourth inning.

It’s the seventh time in 13 tournament games that Shelton National has topped the 10-run mark.

But if Shelton National is going to keep on trucking through the tournament and get a chance to play August 9 for a shot at a trip to Williamsport, it’s going to have to keep playing as a team.

“The top picks up the bottom, the bottom picks up the top. One for all and all for one, one through 12 [players on the roster],” Shelton National manager Ed Szymansky said. “We won’t pick any one kid out. Today it was [Jake Szymansky’s] day in the sun, now it’s back to work.”

But keep in mind these 12-year-old kids are only human. They did struggle coming out of the gate against the Maine batters, though it was ever so slightly. Maine loaded the bases in the top of the first before Shelton National pitcher Rob Moretti got a pair of strikeouts to end the inning.

“I told the kids they were going to be a little nervous at first. Once they’d get the mistakes out of the way, we’d come back and play Shelton baseball.”

Moretti (eight strikeouts in three innings) and Eddie Kochiss (three strikeouts in one inning) dominated on the mound for Shelton National, and the team’s bats were just as impressive. Jake Szymansky and Kochiss both homered, and Szymansky, Tyler Tyce, and Chris Berritto each drove in two runs.

Moretti, Kochiss, Szymansky, and Matt Batten had two hits each to lead the Shelton National attack.

So after the kids take Saturday off and go to Lake Compounce, how does Shelton National prepare for its game Sunday against Williston, Vermont?

They’ll just stick to the basics.

“All they have to do is play fundamental baseball, that’s what wins baseball games,” Ed Szymansky said. “Catch, throw, and hit, everything comes after that. It’s so repetitious it’s like a second nature to these kids.”

By Tim Parry

If you looked over from the shot put area Sunday at Danbury High School, towards the lights at the Federal Correctional Institute, you could see an unpleasant sky approaching. What appeared to be a funnel cloud was possibly heading towards the Nutmeg State Games and its track and field meet.

And then came the voice from the press box, asking all spectators and athletes to exit the stadium slowly, in an orderly fashion, and seek shelter.

Though it was about 4 p.m., the skies soon darkened as if it were five hours later, and dumped inches of rain on the area.

The rain eventually stopped, but meet officials decided to postpone the remaining events until this Sunday, August 3.

About half the events had been completed at the time of the evacuation, but results will not be posted until the official completion of the meet.

Jamie D’Antona has made his major league debut. On July 22, pinch-hitting for Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Chad Qualls, the former Trumbull High star singled off Kevin Hart of the Chicago Cubs.

The Diamondbacks plan to use D’Antona as a pinch-hitter for the remainder of this season. To make room on the 40-man roster, Arizona moved fan-favorite Eric Byrnes from the 15-day to the 60-day disabled list.

So why the promotion in his sixth professional season? Diamondbacks manager Bob Melvin told MLB.com that D’Antona’s dominant performance with the AAA Tucson Sidewinders warranted a chance at the big leagues.

In his second year with the Sidewinders D’Antona, 26, was leading the club in batting average (.367), hits (126), on-base percentage (.407), slugging percentage (.612), and doubles (31) at the time of his call up.

D’Antona recently represented the Diamondbacks organization at both the Futures Game in Yankee Stadium and the Triple-A All-Star game in Louisville, KY. D’Antona won the Triple-A Home Run Derby and delivered the go ahead RBI in the Pacific Coast League’s 6-5 victory over the International League in the Triple-A All-Star Game.

“There’s a guy that deserves a shot at the big leagues,” Melvin told MLB.com. “You look at his Triple-A numbers and they’re off the charts. Through hard work and great performance, he deserves a shot at the big league level.”

By Tim Parry

Max Pacioretty is a college dropout. But that doesn’t mean he’ll be sitting at home wondering what to do with the rest of his life. Sure, he’s at his parent’s home in New Canaan right now, but he knows he’ll be spending this fall in Canada.

Pacioretty, the first-round draft pick of the Montreal Canadians in 2007, has given up his final three years of collegiate eligibility with the University of Michigan to sign with the NHL team.

Pacioretty will be in training camp with the Canadians this September, and is expected to start the season with Montreal’s AHL affiliate, the Hamilton Bulldogs.

“Max Pacioretty is a young player with a lot of skills, who has the potential to play in the NHL,” said Montreal general manager Bob Gainey in a press release. “We are very happy to have him under contract for years to come. We feel he is ready to make the jump to professional hockey, and we will make sure to provide him with all the resources which will benefit his long-term development as a player.”

As a freshman at Michigan, Pacioretty was named the CCHA Rookie of the Year, and was named to the College Hockey News All-Rookie team and the CCHA All-Rookie team. He finished fifth in U.S. college hockey among rookies in points (39) and points per game (1.05). He was also Recipient of the Mickey and Wally Grant Scholarship for Men’s Ice Hockey.

The 6-foot-2, 199-pound left winger finished second on the team in plus-minus and powerplay goals with nine. Pacioretty also scored three game-winning goals and registered 109 shots on goal.

Pacioretty was a member of the US National team which finished fourth at the 2008 World Junior Championship presented in Czech Republic.

“We’re certainly disappointed that Max Pacioretty has chosen to forgo his eligibility at the University of Michigan at this time,” said Michigan associate head coach Mel Pearson in a statement. “Max was a positive force on our team last season. We would like to wish him well in his pursuit of his dream to play in the National Hockey League.”

Danbury Westerners shortstop Mike Olt may be having the best week ever.

Olt was named the New England Collegiate Baseball League’s co-player of the week, and celebrated by winning the league’s Home Run Derby with 11 blasts.

Olt, a freshman at UConn, is doing everything he can to get the Westerners in the playoff picture. His week consisted of a .429 average with 12 hits including 2 doubles, 3 home runs and 13 RBIs. He also had a stolen base.

And in the NECBL All-Star Game at Torrington on Sunday, he also hit a 2-run homer in the game that lifted the South to a 5-2 win.

This summer, Olt posts a .294 batting average in a team-high 31 games played. He currently leads the Westerners with 126 at-bats, 27 runs scored, 37 hits, eight doubles, six homeruns and 30 RBIs. Entering his sophomore year at UConn, Olt has led the Westerners with a .516 slugging percentage and a .348 on-base percentage, while also picking up 41 putouts and 78 assists.

Ted Spencer has decided to retire after serving 13 seasons as Fairfield University’s head men’s lacrosse coach, and has accepted an administrative position as Associate Director of Athletics at the school. The change will allow Spencer to remain at the University while he continues to regain his health from his battle with cancer.

“I am pleased that Ted will remain part of the Fairfield athletics family by accepting the associate director of athletics position,” Director of Athletics Gene Doris said. “I am grateful for his hard work and dedication that built our men’s lacrosse program into a competitive and respected program both regionally and nationally. Ted’s decision to retire from coaching was a difficult one, but I am sure he will bring the same vigor to his new position that has made him successful in everything he has done. This position has been in our athletics strategic plan and it became obvious that Ted is the right person to fill it. He will continue to have our support in his fight against cancer and will take some well earned time for himself before transitioning into his new role.”

“This was a difficult choice for me, but in the end, I had to do what was best for me and my family,” Spencer said. “I feel a strong commitment to the student athletes who I recruited this past spring and who will return for the 2009 season. In speaking with the team, I know that I have their support in making this change and I am thankful to have been associated with such a group of fine young men.”

Spencer completed his 13th season at the helm of the Fairfield University lacrosse program in 2008 and owned a 93-90 overall record at the school. He coached the team during the spring despite undergoing radiation and chemotherapy treatments for cancer. The team finished the campaign with a 4-9 overall record and a 1-5 mark in its third season as a member of the ECAC Lacrosse League.

With Spencer at the helm, the Stags competed in two NCAA tournaments (2005 and 2002), as well as to two Great Western Lacrosse League (GWLL) titles. He was named the GWLL Coach of the Year in both of those seasons.

Before joining the GWLL, Spencer led the program to three Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) championships (1996-98). The program qualified for four straight ECAC tournament appearances from 1996-99, and captured the tourney title in 1998 and 1999. He was named the MAAC Coach of the Year in 1996.

Players have flourished under his guidance and three have earned All-American Honorable Mention honors. Seven continued their playing careers in Major League Lacrosse, including Greg Downing, Mike Bocklet, and Nate Bauers in 2007.

Spencer’s new duties as associate director of athletics will include general athletic administrative oversight responsibilities and support of the athletic department’s external relations including the support of student-athlete recruitment programs, representing the Director of Athletics at external functions, and working with the University’s Advancement Division on development activities in support of Fairfield Athletics.

Doris said that the University will immediately begin a national search for the head men’s lacrosse position.

By Thomas Michael

Running late for football practice after an interview with a local newspaper, former New Canaan lineman Steve Johnson acquired the nickname “Hollywood” from several teammates in his final season as a Rams.

Although Johnson won’t be traveling to the west coast, track and field fame may be in his future as he heads to the University of Connecticut this fall.

“I’m very excited,” Johnson said. “I’m totally undecided on what I want to do. I know that I want to help people. I’m leaning towards pre-med or pre-kinesiology.”

Academics aside, Johnson also plans to continue in track and shot-put. Setting a record for himself in shot-put of 52-feet, 9-inches in the State Open, Johnson placed second in the state and fifth in New England. Yet, he has always felt that he could improve his game.

“In college I’m going to work on getting mentally focused,” he said. “It’s going to take a majority of the time at UConn so I probably won’t do any club sports.”

Still, Johnson has played a variety of sports throughout his athletic career.

“I played soccer and baseball when I was a kid and I tried lacrosse but didn’t like it,” he said. “When I was in ninth grade I did track and hurdles. I was awful.”

Johnson also did wrestling and played football in high school but found his niche throwing the shot-put.

“What makes a good shot-putter is long arms. If you’re lanky it’s better,” Johnson said. “Sophomore year I didn’t do bad but I wasn’t that good. And then I kept on lifting. Junior year I really came out of my shell and I got sixth in FCIAC. Then I kept on lifting and here I am today.”

Johnson received the coveted Sikorsky Award at the senior athletics picnic this past spring for his accomplishments.

“I felt really honored to get it because it was such a great payoff,” Johnson said. “It’s a really prestigious award.”

Selected to play for the Fairfield County All-Star football team, Johnson dropped out in order to avoid injury before heading off to do Division I track in college.

In the meantime before setting off to school, Johnson works out for about 90 minutes each day in between working at the Waveny Park Pool snack bar and spending time with his friends. He also plans on shot-putting with several athletes from Danbury.

“I’m just trying to be focused on staying close to my friends and trying to make some good memories before I go [to school],” Johnson said.