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Sports

New Canaan Sports Digest July 29

Your interactive, daily digest for all New Canaan scores, schedules and standings — and a place for you to add information and images for all youth sports

The New Canaan 11-Year-Old All Stars were three outs away from forcing an "if necessary" game in the Cal Ripken state tournament on Thursday night in Newtown.

After New Canaan rallied for three runs in the top of the sixth to take an 8-6 lead, the contest was suspended because of darkness.

The game will be resumed on Friday at 4:30 p.m.. If New Canaan prevails, the teams will play a winner-take-all game to decide the state championship. 

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Danbury's Bensel Wins Connecticut Open By Two Shots

Playing his third straight round in the 60s, Danbury's Frank Bensel put the finishing touches on a victory Wednesday in the 77th Connecticut Open at the Brooklawn Country Club in Fairfield.

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Bensel never gave his pursuers a chance to catch him as he carded a 2-under 69 for a 54-hole total of 8-under 205 and a two-shot victory over Greenwich's Daniel Balin and amateur Tom Mccarthy of Twins Hills.

An assistant golf professional at Century Country Club in Purchase, N.Y., Bensel claimed his second Connecticut Open, having won the title in 2009 at Hartford Golf Club. A conflict with a Metropolitan PGA prevented him from trying to defend his championship last year at the Country Club of Fairfield.

McCarthy, who started the final round at 1-under, made the biggest charge of the day, posting a 5-under 66. He ripped off three straight birdies on Nos. 10-12 to get to 7-under for the tournament, but bogied the par-4 18th to finish at 6-under.

After playing bogey-free golf through 15 holes, Bensel gave back a shot with a bogey on the par-3 16th, but finished with two pars to match his margin he enjoyed at the start of the day.

Balin, who plays out of Burning Tree, completed a solid week with a 68 after a 70 on Monday and a 69 on Tuesday.

Tunxis Plantation's Dave Szewczul, a 2010 Connecticut Golf Hall of Fame inductee and two time defending CSGA Senior Player of the Year, finished fourth at 208 after posting a 70 on Wednesday.

Wilton's Brian Murphy was thought to have an advantage playing on his home course, but couldn't get much going Wednesday, shooting a 2-over 73 to finish in a tie for ninth at 213.

Kensington's Kyle Gallo was seeking a record fifth Connecticut Open title, but never seriously challenged during the tournament. He finished with a 1-over 72, putting him in a tie for 15th at 215.

Among other local players, Stamford's Mike Ballo Jr. finished in a tie for 17th at 216 after his second straight 71.

Shorehaven's Jerry Courville struggled to a 76 Wednesday, leaving him in a tie for 21st at 216 after playing the first two rounds in 1-under

Redding's Jim St. Pierre also posted a 76, which dropped him to 25th at 218.

First-round leader David Pastore of Greenwich faltered after an opening-round 66, which matched McCarthy for the low score of the week. He went 76-77 over the final 36 holes, falling to a tie for 26th at 219.

Jack McConachie, the head golf professional at Pine Valley Country Club in Southington, finished fifth at 210 after a final-round 210 with his second.

McConachie fell short in a bid for a unique mark in Connecticut golfing annals. With a victory, he would have set a record for the longest period between Connecticut Open victories, having previously won the tournament in 1984 at Tumble Brook Country Club.

Richard Siderowf holds the mark, going 14 years between his second and third victories in 1959 and 1973.

AMERICAN LEGION BASEBALL STANDINGS

Team Record Points *Greenwich Sr 23-4-0 46 *Norwalk Sr 20-7-0 40 Trumbull Sr 18-9-0 36 Stamford Sr 15-12-0 30 Darien/NCSr 14-13-0 28 Wilton Sr 12-15-0 24 Bridgeport Sr 11-16-0 22 Fairfield Sr 11-16-0 22 Westport Sr 8-19-0 16 Ridgefield Sr
3-24-0 6 Team Record Points *Stamford Jr 20-6-0 40 Ridgefield Jr 20-7-0 40 Trumbull Jr 19-7-0 38 Norwalk Jr 15-11-0 30 Fairfield Jr
14-13-0 28 Darien/NCJr
13-13-0 26 Wilton Jr 11-15-0 22 Westport Jr 10-16-0 20 Greenwich Jr 9-17-0 18 Bridgeport Jr 0-26-0

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