Baseball Pulls Out Tournament Win

Berlin senior Jamie Brancato is not the biggest player on the baseball team but Leo Veleas said he has a huge heart.

With the score tied at 1-1 in the bottom of the sixth inning and runners on second and third, Veleas was hoping for a squeeze bunt from Brancato but with a 2-0 count he got the green light and deposited a single into centerfield. The hit gave Berlin a lead it would not give up as the Redcoats went on to a 5-3 CIAC Tournament first round victory.

With the win, Berlin will play host to Masuk of Monroe, a 17-3 winner over Waterford, in a second round match-up set for 3:30 p.m. 

"We had seen the pitcher (from Platt) earlier in the year but I didn't know what he was going to throw me," Brancato said. "I was just looking for a good pitch to hit. I was up 2-0 and he threw a fastball and I hit it right where it was pitched. 

"We didn't play great today but it's the playoffs so we're just looking for the win. Platt had nothing to lose since we beat them twice during the season. They were a tough opponent."

Berlin took a 1-0 lead when Austin Barnes knocked in Mitchell Williams, who walked. 

Platt tied it against starter Will Matuszak.

"Will struggled today," Veleas said. "His body language was bad. He just got himself in some tough spots. He threw a lot of balls and then when he did throw strikes he hit some bats."

The game was won in the bottom of the sixth inning. Brancato broke the tie with his hit. Barnes then knocked in two runs with a seeing eye single through the middle after looking awful on two curve balls earlier in the count. That made it 4-1. Brendan Germano then laced a solid single to left to knock in another run and Berlin led 5-1 going to the top of the seventh.

Berlin made it difficult in the seventh with an infield error and then an outfield error and a wild pitch. Norton was able to get a looking strikeout to end it.

"It took us five innings to shake the cob webs off," a none-to-pleased Veleas said. "I've been saying all year that I have no idea who is going to show up to play. We didn't look like we were prepared to play today." 

Barnes will start on the mound for Berlin tomorrow when it hosts Masuk, 14-7 on the season.