Belter and Titans draw crowds in first season

TORRINGTON — It was a good first season for The Torrington Titans baseball team, according to team manager Gregg Hunt.

The season began on June 3 at Fuessenich Park in Torrington and ended with a playoff loss against the Quakertown Blazers in Quakertown, Pa., on Aug. 7.

The team plays in the Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League, which is sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association and funded in part by Major League Baseball.

The Torrington Twisters, a team in the New England Collegiate Baseball League, played in Fuessenich Park from 1996 to 2008.

They moved after the end of the 2008 season to New Bedford, Mass., and changed their name to the New Bedford Bay Sox.

The move left Fuessenich Park devoid of baseball (and baseball fans) for the 2009 season.

Hunt, who managed the Titans this year, was manager of the Twisters for 12 years.

He said he the fan support for the new team was exceptional.

“In terms of game attendance, our team outdrew the other 12 teams in the league,� Hunt said. “There were nights where we would play in Fuessenich Park with about 1,200 to 1,300 fans in the stands. Torrington, and the whole northwest corner of the state, is a great baseball territory. When other teams came to play us, they were in awe of how many fans we attracted.�

Hunt said he is proud that the team made it to the playoffs during its first season, and he called the final contest against the Quakertown Blazers a match of epic proportions.

“In the final game, we lost 2 to 1 in 16 innings,� he said. “It’s one of those games where it hurt to lose, but you get over it very quickly.�

Hunt cited pitcher Brooks Belter as a key member of the team.

Belter is a Lakeville native who graduated from Housatonic Valley Regional High School in 2005. He spent a post-graduate year (2005-06) at The Gunnery, a private school in Washington.

He is now a senior at Occidental College in southern California, where he is majoring in economics.

“It has always been a family tradition to play baseball,� Belter said. “My father [Jim Belter] played it and my grandfather [Hank Belter] played it. To me, they are my heroes and my inspirations.�

Belter made 11 appearances during the Titans’ season, and he said it was a good experience.

“My strategy was to get ahead and stay ahead with strikes,� he said. “I hope to continue with my sports career and take it to the next level. However, you cannot always rely on your hopes. You have to get through school and get your degree. If you happen to get into the Major Leagues, that’s great.�

Belter said he will be playing with the Occidental team this season. However, he will not be playing with the Titans next season.

“I won’t be eligible because they only accept players who are freshmen, sophomores and  juniors,â€� Belter said. “I think I had a very good season. Going out during home games and pitching in front of family and friends was great for me.â€�

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