Local roundup: Mystic wins at Junior League softball regionals

West Haven - The Mystic Junior League softball team evened its record at 1-1 in pool play by beating Massachusetts champion Charlton 4-1 Sunday.

Caroline Taber earned the victory, striking out 13 with two walks over seven innings. Olivia Watts and Haley Flax each had two hits and drove in a run and Mackenzie Aldridge, Olivia Knotts and Taber also had two hits each for Mystic. Lauren Szczsney, Watts, Knotts and Taber scored runs.

Mystic plays unbeaten host West Haven today at 2:30 p.m., and concludes pool play Tuesday by playing winless Rhode Island champion Westerly at 12:30 p.m.

Tigers win

• Zack Kirksey homered twice to help lead the Connecticut Tigers to a 9-3 win over the Williamsport Crosscutters in a New York-Penn. League game.

Jake Stewart, Edgar Corcino and Luis Cortez also had two hits each and Jordan Dean scored three runs for the Tigers (20-26). Endrys Briceno (4-3) was the winner, allowing three runs and four hits over a season-long 6 1-3 innings. He struck out three with no walks.

The Tigers beat the Crosscutters 6-5 in 15 innings Saturday night. Dean's second RBI triple on the night drove in Patrick Smith in the top of the 15th. Devon Travis, Dean and Smith drove in two runs each and Smith finished with four hits.

Waterford Speedbowl change

• Late Saturday evening, after track officials reviewed race procedure during the 35-lap SK Modified feature staged as part of the night's racing program, it was determined that Doug Coby of Milford was the driver of record for the event. A driver change between Keith Rocco and Coby took place during the very early stages of the event.

Rocco was originally credited with the win in the moments after the race, with Coby driving to the victory in relief. Per review the published track rules and circumstances surrounding the driver change, it was in fact Coby that was recognized as the winner of record by track officials.

Rocco, of Meriden, was the division point leader headed into the event. He injured his wrist in a practice crash last Sunday at Thompson International Speedway in Thompson. Rocco turned over his ride to Coby for Saturday's feature race at the Speedbowl. After resuming the race from the rear, Coby methodically picked his way through the field in Rocco's 88 car. Coby used several timely caution flags during the event to make his progress to the front of the field.

After the checkered flag waved and the night's racing program concluded, however, track officials reviewed the details surrounding the execution of the driver change. Per the published track rules regarding Race Procedure, "points and (prize) money will be awarded to the driver that completes the initial green flag lap."

Rocco took the initial green flag for the race at the tail of the running order, however the field only made it to turn two on the opening lap before a caution flag flew for an incident on the track. Rocco immediately ducked into the turn three pit gate to make the change to Coby before coming around to take the caution flag. Coby was the driver of record that completed the initial green flag lap on the track upon exiting the pit area behind the wheel.

Following the event, Waterford Speedbowl Race Director Scott Tapley said, "We have to stand by the letter of the rulebook and that's what we're doing."

The ruling unofficially drops Rocco from the point lead, moving Chadwick into the top spot. Rocco slipped to fourth in the standings.