The Branford Senior American Legion baseball squad won a thriller versus Southington by the score of 5-1 in 10 innings to claim the fourth state title in program history at Stamford’s Cubetta Stadium on Aug. 3.

Post 83 had blown out Southington 10-0 in seven innings via the mercy rule the night before and then completed their sweep of the best-of-3 State Tournament final by scoring four runs in the top of the tenth inning of Game 2. Kyle Hart’s two-run single put Post 83 up 3-1 in the final frame, after which winning pitcher Ben Criscuolo provided the exclamation point by blasting a two-run homer. Criscuolo pitched nine innings for the win to improve to 9-0 and escaped a big-time jam in the bottom of the ninth to send the game to extras. John Amendola, who had pitched all seven innings of Branford’s victory the previous night, worked a perfect bottom of the tenth to seal the title for Post 83, getting Southington’s Matt DiNello to ground out to Mike Funaro at second base to end the game.

Rich Balzano’s squad improved to 32-1 and will face New Hampshire in its opening game of the Northeast Regional at Middletown’s Palmer Field at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 8. Branford has won the Regional the other three times it’s captured the state title en route to the American Legion World Series, doing so in 2005, 2007, and 2010.

“Our kids are focused on winning, they like to win, and they really came together as a team in the middle of the season and decided they wanted to be a force to be reckoned with. They did that and I’m very proud of them,” said Balzano, who has coached Post 83 in all four of its state championship seasons. “Our pitching depth goes beyond some of our stronger teams, our hitting is about equal to our more superior teams, and defense is our cornerstone as we’ve made some incredible plays. We just fired on all cylinders throughout the tournament.”

Branford scored the game’s first run in the top of the sixth inning when Hart tripled over the center fielder’s head and scored when Criscuolo singled to left.

Southington came right back to tie it in the bottom of the sixth by using a leadoff walk, a wild pitch, and a two-out single to center field to knot the game 1-1.

That’s the way the game stayed until the decisive tenth, although Criscuolo had to first walk a tightrope to escape major danger in the bottom of the ninth. Southington’s first two batters reached via a walk and a single and then Mike Rogalksi attempted a sacrifice bunt, yet Criscuolo was quick off the mound to grab the ball and throw out the lead runner at third. Criscuolo then got Brett Susi to fly out to center and fanned Matt Santovasi swinging to end the threat.

“My slider was working better than it usually does and I kept their hitters off-balance with that and my fastball,” said Criscuolo, a Branford resident and Xavier graduate who will play for Southern New Hampshire. “This was a great experience and I really couldn’t ask for better game. It was awesome.”

After Criscuolo kept the game tied and sent it to the tenth, Southington removed starting pitcher Craig Frobel in favor of DiNello, who was abruptly greeted with a single by Funaro, the fifth time he reached base. Tyler Criscuolo then singled to right and stole second to put runners at second and third, after which Hart lashed the go-ahead single to center that plated both runners and put Branford up 3-1. One out later, Ben Criscuolo got a fastball and deposited it over the left field fence for a two-run homer and a 5-1 lead.

Balzano then called on Amendola to close it out and, despite having pitched less than 24 hours prior, he was true to the task by setting down Southington in order with second baseman Funaro fielding DiNello’s grounder and throwing to Greg Zullo at first for the final out.

“I didn’t know if I would be needed today, but I was ready to give all I had for an inning,” said Amendola, a North Branford resident and Notre Dame-West Haven senior who is 8-0. “Our goal since the beginning of the year was to win the state title and now we’re excited to move forward and capture another goal of going to the World Series."