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07/05/2014 12:00 AMEven though the North Haven baseball team had its back against the wall this spring, the Indians stayed strong and climbed it as a unified group en route to another postseason appearance.
The Indians were first dealt an early-season blow when legendary Head Coach Bob DeMayo was unable to lead the team as skipper due to surgery to repair a torn quad tendon in his right knee. Fortunately, assistant Muchie Dagliere stepped right in to take the reins and had a seamless transition working alongside pitching coach Ray Degnan, which helped North Haven claim victory in its first two games.
Unfortunately, the Indians then struggled through the subsequent weeks and found themselves at 6-11 and needing to win two of their final three games to reach the Class L State Tournament. However, North Haven stayed unfazed and notched a 2-0 win against Notre Dame-West Haven, then a 1-0 win versus Shelton to sneak into states with senior Jeff Cunningham tossing shutouts in each triumph.
“I think we accomplished a lot based on the circumstances. The SCC is so strong that almost every game is like a state tournament game and we showed a lot by beating Notre Dame, which went on to win the state title; and Shelton, a Class LL school, to make the state tournament,” said Dagliere, whose team finished 8-13 after losing to Notre Dame in states. “Coach Degnan and I get along like peas in a pod and I felt like I knew how to prep these kids the right way after being around being around Coach DeMayo for six years and seeing the little things he does and how he puts everything together.”
In turn, Coach DeMayo said he was pleased with how Dagliere and Degnan guided the Indians and also felt proud of his athletes for preserving through the tough times to make their postseason push.
“Muchie and Ray did a super job of holding the team together and I was impressed with the attitude of the kids, who worked hard all year,” said DeMayo, who plans to be back in 2015. “I knew we had a tough road ahead of us because we didn’t have much pitching experience and so I think it was quite an accomplishment for the kids to make the tournament, especially with that big upset of Notre Dame.”
North Haven was led by its two senior captains and lone two returning starters in center fielder Josh Lopez; plus Chris Brockett, who played third base, shortstop, and the outfield. Lopez played error-free ball in center and also led the Indians in hits with 23, batting average at .329, and runs scored with 16. Consequently, Lopez came away with All-Oronoque honors, was named North Haven’s Most Valuable Player, and received the DeMayo Scholarship. Meanwhile, Brockett had 14 hits, drew 13 walks, and also dropped down five sacrifice bunts. He was the team’s Sportsmanship Award recipient.
“You could not ask for two better leaders of the team than Josh and Chris. They kept everyone in line and worked well with the entire team,” Coach Dagliere said. “Josh was a no-brainer for MVP with how he tracked down balls in the outfield and put pressure on pitchers with his speed at the leadoff spot. Chris was willing to do whatever it took at any position and is a gentleman on the field who plays hard because he loves the game.”
Fellow senior Jeff Cunningham progressed into a top arm for the Indians by posting a 2.75 ERA and recording four wins in his 12 appearances, including the two clutch shutouts in the final week. Cunningham gained All-Oronoque honors and was voted North Haven’s Most Improved Player.
“Jeff was a workhorse for us and a competitor who never gave in. He always wanted the ball,” said Dagliere. “Jeff only pitched two innings as a junior, but took a big role this season and became a go-to guy.”
Two other seniors collected honors as second baseman Pete Katynski earned the John Calamita Scholarship and the Rocky Ruggerio Award with catcher/first baseman Patrick Mikos bringing home the Southern Connecticut Diamond Club’s No ‘I’ in Team Award. Even though he wasn’t a regular starter, Mikos made the most of his chances by batting .316 with two doubles, one triple, and four RBI.
“Pete played every inning of every game and showed his ability in the field by making just two errors all season. He’s a throwback who has an old-school baseball mentality,” Dagliere said. “Patrick would do anything we needed because he just loves being part of the team. He was a senior leader and the other kids listened when he spoke.”
The Indians’ other seniors were Mike Card, who pitched 38 innings and had a 3.91 ERA; fellow hurler Stephen Aveni, who logged two victories in his 24 innings; Ryan Harger, who hit .318 while splitting time in the outfield; and third baseman/shortstop Trent Dillon, who drove home 10 runs and scored 13.
Next year’s captains will be Rich DePalma and Nick Proto, who started in left field and behind the plate, respectively, in their junior campaigns. DePalma batted .290 with 18 hits, two home runs, and 13 RBI, including a two-run single that accounted for both runs in the crucial Notre Dame victory. Proto was a solid defensive player with a strong arm who did a good job of blocking balls in the dirt, according to Coach Dagliere.
As far as other juniors, Dom Fusco had a win with two saves on the mound, outfielder Hunter Iacobelli hit two doubles, and Mike Kurk was an infielder on the squad.
Additionally, sophomore hurler Trevor MacDonnell made seven appearances and notched a win with a 2.47 ERA, Giovanni Torres shined defensively at third and short, and Mike DeRosa was a catcher for North Haven.