Following a three-season stint in the Hornets’ dugout, Ed Bethke has resigned as head coach of Branford baseball to return to his other alma mater of Southern Connecticut State University. Bethke stepped down from the Hornets on Aug. 13 and was slated to be named pitching coach/assistant coach for Southern this week.

“The opportunity presented itself in a conversation with Tim Shea—the head coach over at Southern—probably a couple of weeks after the season ended and, right when it was offered to me, I accepted on the spot, knowing it was one of those opportunities I couldn’t pass up,” Bethke said. “It’s extremely bittersweet and a tough decision with what we were trying to build at Branford and being that Branford is my home, but as I told my family, going back to Southern to coach is the only thing I would have no hesitation about to give up everything I have now. When it was presented, it was a no-brainer.”

Bethke was a standout left-hander at Branford before graduating in 2005. He still holds the Hornets’ record for career victories with 22, won 20 ballgames on mound at Southern Connecticut, and also finished with 22 victories as Branford’s head coach. Bethke additionally threw for Branford’s Senior Legion team and tossed a complete game gem when Post 83 beat Torrington to take the state title in 2005.

Following some time as the Hornets’ pitching coach, Bethke took the reins as skipper in 2013 when the late George Dummar, Jr., stepped down after being diagnosed with brain cancer.

Bethke’s tenure as Hornets’ head coach was capped by his club making the Class L State Tournament this spring.

“I’ve built relationships with an extremely great coaching staff and I’ll miss them and there’s also the relationships you build with the players on and off the field. You hope to get through to them the best you can and I feel I did that the last three years,” said Bethke. “I wish the program nothing but the best in their pursuit of a state title and beyond and I hope they keep building the program.”