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Sports

Blue Knights Rally Their Way to Class LL Championship Game

Blue Knights baseball reaches Class LL final vs. Newington; Sullivan pitches complete game victory.

Southington rallied with four runs in the fourth inning on its way to defeating New Britain 6-3 in the Class LL baseball semifinal game at Municipal Stadium in Waterbury Tuesday night.

The Blue Knights (19-5) advance to the final against Central Connecticut Conference West rival Newington (16-8) Saturday at 7 p.m. Muzzy Field in Bristol. Southington won both regular season games against the Indians 7-2 and 11-3.

It will be Southington's 10th trip to a final. The Knights have won three times, the last in Class LL in 1999.

Trailing 3-2 going into the fourth, Southington put together a fundamentally sound rally that had a little bit of everything.

"We manufactured runs in (the fourth) inning," said first-year head coach Charlie Lembo. "We knew we were going to need more. We thought it would take six of seven runs to win this game because we know that they're a good team and they don't give up over there."

Alex Roger got things started for Southington with a lead-off walk and proceeded to take second base on New Britain starter Allen Nunez's errant pickoff attempt. He was sacrificed to third by Zach Niles and came home on Tyler Burns' run-scoring double.

Connor Butkiewicz followed with a bouncer off the first base bag that plated Burns. Butkiewicz then stole second and after Ed Shaw drew a walk, came home on Chris Lee's RBI single. Matt Spruill completed the comeback with a fielder's choice that brought home Shaw.

After giving up three runs in the first two innings. Southington starter Joe Sullivan settled down, putting down New Britain 1-2-3 in the bottom of the fourth and retiring seven of eight before giving up two singles in the sixth. Both runners were stranded.

Sullivan who gave up 10 hits, one walk and struck out two, retired the side in order in the seventh.

"I started off and I was a little shaky and my nerves were on edge," Sullivan said. "It was real good to get those four runs because the run support helped me settle down and just locate my pitches."

"Joe's been a gamer all year long," Lembo said. "We've been telling Joe he's the best No. 2 pitcher in the state and if wasn't for (Southington ace) Sal Romano, he'd probably be a No. 1 on most teams. Joe wanted the ball. We saw it in his eyes. His fastball was a little flat early. He wasn't locating the off-speed pitch where he wanted it and then he just picked it up."

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Southington scored two runs in the first on Matt Spruill's RBI double that brought home Chris Lee, who reached after getting hit by the game's first pitch thrown by Nunez.

Spruill later scored on a wild pitch.

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But the Hurricanes (18-6) came right back with a run in the first on Kian Downes RBI single and two more in the second when Mike Sturges hit a leadoff double and scored on a fielder's choice and Nestor Velazquez was plated on Nunez's tough-to-handle bouncer to first baseman Niles.

Lembo has no reservations about meeting Newington for a third time on Saturday night.

"Why not?" Lembo said. "I'm sure they're going to like it, we're going to like it. We know each other. It's a great testament to our division in the CCC West."

The victory came after consecutive comeback games including a 4-2 victory over Pomperaug High School Saturday in an 11-inning game.

"It's the greatest feeling in the world (going to the final)," Sullivan said. "Get a good week of practice and hope for the best."

The team also received news Tuesday night that Romano, who was selected as the Gatorade Player of the Year last week, was drafted by the Reds in the 23rd round. Romano had previously committed to playing ball next fall at the University of Tennessee.

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