4/30/07 - The TCB Hartford 13's confirmed their position as one of the top teams in New England baseball with a four game sweep this weekend over the New England Ruffnecks and the South Shore Seadogs. TCB won the four games by a combined score of 43 to 15. Both the Ruffnecks and Seadogs are in the New England AAU Super Division. Connecticut is a separate association from New England with regards to AAU play.

On Saturday, the TCB faced the Ruffnecks in a doubleheader at Martin Park in East Hartford, Connecticut. TCB game from an early 5-4 deficit to win the first game 11-6. They didn't let up in the second game, winning by a convincing margin of 9-1.

Devin Over (Windsor, CT) and Carson Helms (Farmington, CT) picked up the victories on the mound. Over came on in relief of starter Steve Michalek (Glastonbury, CT) and threw 3 1/3 scoreless innings with 5 strikeouts to earn the win. In game 2, Helms allowed only 1 run in 5 innings of work with 4 strikeouts. He improved to 2-0 on the year with a 0.70 earned run average. Bobby Solecki (Glastonbury, CT) pitched the last two innings of the second game and did not allow a hit while striking out 4.

Offensively, TCB was led by Brett Madore (Bristol, CT), Nick Moriello (Naugatuck, CT), Colin Sledzik (Higganum, CT) and Over. Madore was was 3-6 at the plate with a double and 2 runs scored. Moriello went 3-3 on the day with a run scored. Sledzik had 3 hits with a double and 3 runs scored while Over was 3-5 with a triple and 2 runs.

On Sunday morning, TCB traveled to Millis, Massachusetts to face the South Shore Seadogs, a perennial contender for the New England AAU Championship. In the first game, TCB took a 5-1 lead in the 4th and never looked back. They scored 3 more in the 5th and 7 in the 7th for the final score of 15-2. In game two, TCB scored 6 runs in the bottom of the 6th to erase a 5-2 deficit and earn the 8-6 win.

Colin Sledzik tossed 5 innings and allowed only 1 run while striking out 4 in the first game. He kept the Seadogs hitters off balance and only walked one while improving to 2-1 on the season. Sledzik also helped himself at the plate going 2-4 with 2 runs scored. Michalek was 2-4 with 2 runs scored and a sac fly. Solecki was 2-3 with 2 runs scored. Justin Thomas (Enfield, CT) was 3-3 with a run scored to pace TCB offensively.

TCB was down 5-2 in the second game heading into the bottom of the sixth. Kyle Richards (Glastonbury, CT) singled to lead off the inning, and consecutive singles by Over and Chris Reckmeyer (West Hartford, CT) loaded the bases. Sledzik singled to score Richards and Over and close the gap to 5-4. Thomas then doubled over the right fielder scoring Reckmeyer and knotting the game at 5. With runners on second and third, Matt Rivera (New Britain, CT) singled to right, scoring Sledzik and Thomas and putting TCB ahead 7-5. Rivera also scored in the inning to put TCB up 8-5 going to the 7th.

Thomas, who pitched a scoreless 6th inning, would allow only 1 run in the 7th as TCB came away with the 8-6 win. He tossed two innings allowing only 1 run with 1 strikeout.

TCB returns to action Saturday May 5th against the Connecticut Charges with a 9:00am doubleheader at Martin Park in East Hartford, CT