The Branford Senior Legion baseball team has a long history of making deep runs in the State Tournament, but unfortunately for Post 83, the 2015 postseason told a different tale. That’s because Rich Balzano’s squad was eliminated from the bracket by losing both games of its best-of-3 series against Monroe at home last week. Branford took an 8-2 defeat in the first contest and lost 5-4 in 10 innings for a Game 2 that saw Monroe rally from a two-run deficit by drawing six-consecutive walks in the last frame for the walk-off victory.

Post 83, who won their sixth-straight Zone 2 title during the regular season, finished the summer with a record of 26-7.

“We normally get into the big rounds and it’s unfortunate that we didn’t. The last six years in a row, we’ve won the zone and had been used to playing on Saturday [when the next portion of the tournament begins] and so it’s sad not playing,” Coach Balzano said. “The kids felt like we let one slip away, but at the end of the day, we just came up a little short. It’s baseball.”

Monroe finished third in Zone 5 for the regular season and had to win twice in the single elimination portion of the bracket that Branford had a bye through by virtue of winning its zone. Post 176 brought that momentum to Branford and continued their winning ways by notching an 8-2 victory in Game 1 of the series on July 22. Monroe starting pitcher Mike Dellapiano pitched all nine innings (state tourney games are nine instead of the usual seven) and allowed just seven hits to Post 83, who scored both their runs in the bottom of the seventh. By that time, Monroe already had a commanding 8-0 advantage after scoring three runs in the second, one in the fifth, three more in the sixth, and another in the seventh. For Branford’s seventh inning, Devin DeRenzo and Mike Querfeld singled, after which BJ Massey’s single brought home DeRenzo. Querfeld scored when Jordan Botte reached on an error to make it 8-2. Nick Candelora then got aboard via an error and Post 83 had two runners on, but couldn’t get them in. Branford left the bases loaded in the eighth. Dylan Millhouse started on the mound and pitched the first 5.1 innings. Gerald Delise threw the next 2.3 and Dan Driscoll worked the final three.

“Dellapiano was throwing strikes and had a little bit of a knuckleball that seemed to be effective. We hit the ball. We only struck out three times in the whole game. We hit the ball hard and all the time we just hit it at someone,” said Balzano. “The key to the game for them was that we made six errors, which was our undoing. For the first time all year, we didn’t make the plays, which was uncharacteristic of us. We played good defense all year long.”

Branford and Monroe were back at it the next day for the second game of the series, which proved a much-closer contest. Even though Post 83 was hosting Monroe, they were technically the road team for this one and struck first in the top of the fourth when Tyler Criscuolo tripled and scored on a DeRenzo single. Branford made it 2-0 in the fifth as Candelora singled, went to second on Botte’s fielder’s choice, and scored when Will Coleman singled.

Monroe came back to tie it by scoring single runs in the sixth and eighth innings and the game ultimately required extras to decide the winner. Post 83 plated a pair in the top of 10 to go up 4-2. DeRenzo doubled and scored on single by Querfeld for the go-ahead run. Massey and Candelora then worked walks which loaded the bases and Botte drew another that forced home Querfeld for a two-run advantage. Dawson Frawley retired the first batter in the bottom of the 10th, but then issued two walks. Balzano called for Candelora, who walked two batters with the second one forcing home a run to make it 4-3. Following that, Mike Keinz took the mound and walked in the tying and winning runs as Monroe came away with the 5-4 victory.

“It was just a disappointing loss and a situation where, uncharacteristically, no one could throw a strike,” Coach Balzano said. “All year, our pitchers have been the strength of the team, kept us in every game, and limited the runs from the other team, so it was really a shock that this was a day where our pitchers didn’t deliver. But they’ve been good all year, so you have to give them a pass on this one.”

Sean Halligan pitched the first seven innings and allowed just run for Branford. Delise threw the eighth and Frawley worked the ninth before the game went to extra innings.

“Halligan was outstanding,” said Balzano. “We knew Sean would be effective because they’re a fastball-hitting team and he’s great at mixing up his changeup, slider, curve, and fastball.”

Post 83 put forth a better offensive showing than in the first game by recording 13 hits with two apiece from DeRenzo, Coleman, and Querfeld.

“We hit the ball much better in this game and were able to scratch out two runs, which we thought would be enough,” Balzano said. “Our kids really gutted it out to take the 4-2 and we thought we were home free.”