The Trumbull Post 141 American Legion baseball team dropped a 7-5 13-inning state tournament decision to visiting Middletown Post 75 on Saturday.
Trumbull, managed by Brett Conner, finished at 23-5. Middletown, which drew at automatic bid due to being a host team, improved to 9-16.
It will play at No. 12 Monroe in a second round game on Sunday. Monroe defeated No. 13 Darien/New Canaan, 2-1, to advance.
No. 20 seed Middletown scored three runs in its first at bat, one in the fourth, and one in the 10th before taking the lead for good with a pair in the 13th. Nevin Sanchez had three hits, including a double. Jake Alonzo, Nick Brenchak and Jared Pflaaumer had two hits each.
No. 5 seed Trumbull scored a run in the third, forced extra innings with three runs in the seventh, and tied it again in the home 10th.
Brian Hnatuk got the start for Post 141 and pitched into the fourth.
Danny Keckler allows one earned run in 8 1/3 innings in relief.
Vin DeRubeis and Andrew Lojko have three hits each. Simon Whiteman and Alex Rauso had two hits each.
Two of Middletown’s runs in the first inning were earned.
In the Trumbull third, DeRubeis singled and went to second on an errant pickoff throw. After Lojko singled to center field, Whiteman’s doubled to left to drive in DeRubeis.
With two outs in the Middletown fourth, Nevin Sanchez singled for his second of three hits on the day. Bill Egan reached on an error, Jake Alonzo was hit by a pitch and Franco walked to force home a run. Rauso behind the plate picked a runner off first to end the threat.
Chris O’Brien led off the Trumbull seventh with a single to right field. Tyler Zikias came in to pinch run, and after a pop out, Jack Lynch and DeRubeis singled to load the bases.
With Lojko up, both Zikias and Lynch scored on wild pitches. Lojko then droves in DeRubeis to tie game.
Middletown’s Ben Alonzo had a bases loaded single in the 19th for a 5-4 lead.
In the home half, Trumbull stayed alive.
Whiteman leds off with an infield hit to shortstop, his 50th hit of the season. With Dustin Sequeira up, Whiteman stole second. Sequeira bunted back to Austin Rak and Whiteman beat the fielder’s choice attempt to third.
Following a strikeout, Kris DiCocco singled to right to plate Whiteman and tie game.
With one out in the Middletown 13th, Ben Alonzo drew a four pitch walk. Jake Alonzo was hit by a pitch. Following a foul popup to third, Colin Horn walked to load the bases. Both Ben and Jake Alonzo scored on a dropped fly ball in the outfield for a 7-5 lead.