Here's my feature on Simsbury's Rich Graef and Kyle Decker, who are both playing for the Torrington Titans of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League this summer. Graef plays college baseball for Boston College while Decker plays for his father Bill at Trinity College in Hartford. Both schools did well in their leagues this year. Both Graef and Decker worked for Bill Decker at his baseball camps.
Included in the link is video of Graef talking about playing in Torrington. 

Register Citizen file art

Here's my feature on Torrington Titans outfielder Conor Bierfeldt, a Torrington native who is off to a solid start in his first season in the Futures Collegiate Baseball League. Here's my blog post about Bierfeldt and the Titans.

You may recall that Bierfeldt lit up Little East Conference pitching all spring. Here are his numbers: led the LEC in batting average (.430), slugging percentage (.838) and home runs (10);l Second in RBI (50), second in total bases (119), second in sacrifice flies (6), tied for third in doubles (16), tied for fourth in triples (6), tied for fourth in runs scored (48), seventh in on-base percentage (.470), and tied for eighth in hits (61). 

Bierfeldt may not have gone in Major League Baseball's first-year draft, but a summer wood-bat college league is a good place to get noticed. If Bierfeldt keeps putting up good numbers, he should get noticed. Torrington manager Misha Dworken said that happened to another Division III player from Connecticut, Chris Denofria, who's now a part of the San Diego Padres organization. Denofria played for Wheaton.

"It happens," Dworken said Tuesday after practice at Canton's Valley Sports Center. "You just got to battle your way through."

Bierfeldt has been doing that since he played for Torrington High School. Torrington fans have seen Bierfeldt continue to improve while playing summer baseball for the P38s in American Legion's tough Zone 1. Bierfeldt said he was able to become a more complete hitter at WCSU this season because he looked to hit the ball to the opposite field.

If Bierfeldt becomes any more of a complete hitter, pitchers in the FCBL, LEC, and other leagues even higher up could be in for trouble.

KEVIN D. ROBERTS/Register Citizen

A pair of former Northwest Corner high school baseball stars are shining in different roles for the Torrington Titans.

You can read about both of them in my story about Torrington Titans Media Day, which was held on Wednesday at Fuessenich Park. One is former Torrington High School and Torrington P38 standout Conor Bierfeldt, who lit up pitchers all season at Western Connecticut State University. In my story, you can find video interview clips of Bierfeldt, along with clips of Bierfeldt from batting practice.

Meanwhile, former Housatonic Valley Regional High School left-hander Bobby Chatfield goes from pitcher to pitching coach. Chatfield is the new pitching coach for the Titans this season after pitching for them last season. Chatfield came up clutch in his senior season at Plymouth State University, helping the Panthers pull off an upset of top-seeded Southern Maine in the first game of the Little East Conference tournament. Chatfield earned second team All-LEC for his efforts.

Former Torrington High School football players have been helping the current Red Raiders out at spring practice over the past week.
Two of those players were Chris DeBerry and Walter Lewis, and both spoke to me about helping keep a tradition alive. Read more by clicking on the link above.

MARIANNE KILLACKEY/Register Citizen Correspondent

There were several former Torrington High School athletes on hand for the first-ever Raider Run 5K on Saturday morning in Torrington.
The winner was Stephen Pretak from the Class of 2002. Pretak was a standout at both THS and Southern Connecticut State University. Torrington sophomore John Pirla finished second.
Lauren Cilfone, a 2010 graduate of THS, was the first female to finish. She was followed by runner-up Rebecca Wright from 2009 and THS senior Aly Otis, who finished third.
Eric Gamari, a former Gilbert basketball standout and current coach/teacher at THS, was a double winner. Gamari finished first among coaches and teachers on Saturday.
The race benefits the Torrington Varsity Alumni Club and THS's Department of Athletics.