Greenwich Cal Ripken 12-under All-Star baseball team advances to semifinals of New England Regionals in Massachusetts

By David Fierro on July 21, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

Photo courtesy of Greenwich Cal Ripken baseball team: The Greenwich Cal Ripken 12-Under All-Stars gather with former MLB player Sam Horn prior to one of their games at the Cal Ripken 12-Under Regionals in Raynham, Massachusetts. Greenwich has won all of its games in the tournament so far.

Aggressive baserunning, effective pitching, timely hitting and solid defense have resulted in a tournament to remember so far for the Greenwich Cal Ripken 12-under All-Star baseball team.

Greenwich has played three games in the Cal Ripken 12U New England Regionals in Raynham, Massachusetts and sports a perfect 3-0 record. The Greenwich All-Stars received a bye into the tournament’s semifinals and will play rival New Canaan in tonight’s semifinal-round in Raynham.

The championship game of the 12U New England Regionals is scheduled to take place Thursday night. The New England Regional champion will advance to the Cal Ripken World Series in Bramson, Missouri.

“Our game against New Canaan should be a great game,” Greenwich manager Ray Bartoszek said. “New Canaan is our rival, so it should be fun. They have an excellent team.”

The Greenwich All-Stars’ first game in the Cal Ripken New England Regionals took place on Saturday, when they faced Dover New Hampshire. Behind the stellar pitching of Reid Glanville, Kouki Tochimoto and Jayden Montanez, Greenwich posted a decisive 10-2 win.

Jack Bylow and Justin Ferry had three hits apiece for Greenwich, which finished the game with 10 hits.

Photo courtesy of Kendra Petrone: Chris Holdefehr catches a fly ball during Greenwich’s Cal Ripken Regional Tournament game in Massachusetts. Greenwich is playing New Canaan in tonight’s semifinal-round.

Putting pressure on the opposition’s defense, Greenwich stole 20 bases in its game against New Hampshire. New Hampshire had three stolen bases and had one runner thrown out. On Sunday, the Greenwich All-Stars recorded a 6-3 victory against Raynham, Mass.

Luke Langhorne started the game for Greenwich. Bylow earned the win in relief of Langhorne, allowing five hits and two runs. Ryan Johnson connected for two hits, Bylow drove in two runs catcher Owen Bartoszek stole three bases, scored two runs and threw a baserunner out attempting to steal second.

Tochimoto also scored a pair of runs in the winning effort. In Greenwich’s third game of the regional tournament, it edged Middlesex, Mass., 7-6. Tochimoto and Glanville each pitched, combining on the victory. A leadoff hitter, Bartoszek set the scene for several rallies, finishing with a hit, two walks, four stolen bases and a run scored.

Bylow, Glanville, Landon O’Hara, David Gitter and Ferry each delivered RBI hits to help send the All-Stars into the semifinals.

Photo courtesy of Greenwich Cal Ripken baseball team: Greenwich Cal Ripken All-Stars manager Ray Bartoszek addresses the team at the New England Regionals up in Massachusetts. Greenwich is 3-0 so thus far.

Over the course of three games in the tournament, Greenwich has amassed 45 stolen bases, while being thrown out just once on the base-paths. Opponents have just eight steals on 11 attempts.

“We are fast and athletic,” Bartoszek said. “We are a very aggressive baserunning team and we have great defenders against the run.”

Bartoszek praised the team’s pitching staff and the squad’s defensive play.

“Our pitching has been excellent,” he said. “Our pitching staff has given us a chance in every game and has done an excellent job. Our defense has also been outstanding. We have made three errors in three games – that’s really great defense. Over the three games in the New England Regionals, our defense up the middle has been outstanding.”

Johnson plays center field, Montanez starts at shortstop, Glanville, Bylow and Holdefehr have played second base and Bartoszek has been behind the plate.