Printer Friendly Version - Junior Indians U-10 Claims Gold at Nutmeg Games

The North Haven Junior Indians U-10 baseball team recently captured the gold medal at the Nutmeg Games in New Britain by defeating Cheshire 6-1. Pictured from left to right are the team’s members in (front) Chris Hager; (middle) Tyler McLain, Justin Coppola, batboy Marco Giaimo, Tyler Signore, Ryan Balzano, and Salvatore Giaimo; along with (back) Jack Bowery, Ty Rooney, Michael Anquillare, Jack Ranani, and Anthony Acampora. Missing from the photo is Ryan Cannon.

The North Haven Junior Indians U-10 baseball team recently won the gold medal in the Connecticut Nutmeg Games at New Britain by earning a 6-1 victory against the Burlington Aces in the championship game.

In game one of pool play, the Indians routed the Cheshire Reds 11-0 in a contest shortened by the mercy rule. The Indians scored four times in the first inning, highlighted by Michael Anquillare’s two-run triple. In the second inning, the Junior Indians rallied for five more runs as Jack Ranani drove in Ty Rooney and Ryan Balzano. Anquillare followed by driving in both Tyler McLain and Ranani as the Indians extended their lead to 9-0. They put the game away in the third inning by scoring two more runs for the 11-0 win. Justin Coppola contributed with two hits and Ranani was solid on the mound, giving up only one hit while recording the shutout.

In game two of pool play, the Indians battled a tough West Hartford team. North Haven jumped on West Hartford’s ace pitcher in the first inning. After two quick outs, McLain reached on an error and Ranani singled to put runners at first and second. After a wild pitch, Jack Bowery singled in both Indians’ runners. Michael Anquillare then drove in Bowery with a double as the Indians took a 3-0 lead. The Indians exploded for five more in the second inning. After three consecutive walks to Tyler Signore, Coppola, and Salvatore Giaimo, McLain walked with the bases loaded, followed by a Ranani single to put the Indians up 6-0. Wild pitches would score both McLain and Ranani as the score reached 8-0 after two innings. The Junior Indians scored another run in the fourth and one in the fifth as Signore singled and eventually scored on a Coppola hit. West Hartford would not go away as it scored four in the fifth to cut the lead to 10-5. In the sixth, West Hartford scored three more times, cutting the lead to 10-8. With runners on first and second and two outs, McLain came in and recorded a strikeout, ending the West Hartford threat and sealing the victory for the Junior Indians at 10-8. Pitchers Jack Bowery, Ryan Cannon, Chris Hager, and McLain combined for the win.

In game three of pool play, North Haven played host team New Britain and rolled to an 18-0 mercy victory. The Indians scored three in the first inning, one in the third, three in the fourth, and 11 in the fifth for the win. Balzano, McLain, and Anthony Acampora led the way with two hits apiece. Cannon, McLain, and Coppola combined for the shutout on the mound, striking out 14 and giving up just one hit. With the win and an undefeated pool play record, the Junior Indians advanced to the gold medal game.

In the gold medal final, the Indians faced the Burlington Aces, winners of Bracket A. After two scoreless innings, the Indians would break through in the third. Coppola walked and Ryan Balzano singled and then McLain followed with a single that plated Coppola. Both runners moved up on a wild pitch and then Ranani hit a drive to center that was misplayed by Burlington as Balzano scored. McLain then scored on a wild pitch, pushing the score to 3-0. After consecutive walks to Bowery and Anquillare, Hager singled to put Indians up 4-0. After a Burlington run in the top of the fourth, the Indians scored two more in the bottom of the fourth. With one out, Balzano singled and then Ranani and Bowery followed with back-to-back doubles to extend the lead to 6-1. That’s all North Haven would need as Ranani and Bowery combined for the victory on the mound to secure the gold medal for the Junior Indians.

In addition to the gold medal, the Junior Indians also won the East Shore regular season U-10 Division with a 16-1 record. The team also competed in the AAU Grand Nationals in Disney World, finishing as a quarterfinalist and represented Connecticut in the Pony League Northeast Regional played in Swansea, Massachusetts, where they finished as the runner-up.

The Junior Indians then wrapped up their summer with an impressive championship run as they captured the 11-U wood bat championship. North Haven swept through the playoffs in dramatic fashion by defeating the No. 6-seeded Connecticut Owls 4-3, the No. 2 seed Connecticut Gladiators 14-11, and then the top-seeded Connecticut Angels 4-3.

After going 16-1 to win the East Shore regular season title and then claiming gold at the Nutmeg Games, the North Haven Junior Indians U-10 baseball squad capped its summer season by edging the Connecticut Angels 4-3 to win the wood bat championship in a U-11 tournament. Pictured from left to right are (front) Justin Coppola, Chris Hager, Ryan Balzano, Ty Rooney, Tyler Jones, and batboy Henry Ranani; and as well as (back row) Jack Ranani, Zach Peters, Ryan Cannon, Michael Anquillare, Anthony Acampora, and Tyler McLain. Missing from the photo are Salvatore Giaimo, Tyler Signore, and Jack Bowery.