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07/22/2018 12:00 AMSenior Legion Baseball
The North Haven Senior American Legion baseball team kicked off the State Tournament by rallying for a 4-3 walk-off victory versus Middletown on July 21, after which Post 76 took a 2-0 loss versus Oakville to put itself in a must-win situation in its next state tourney game. North Haven, which has an overall record of 22-7, will play the winner of Westport and Middletown in an elimination game on Tuesday, July 24 at 4:30 p.m.
North Haven started states by facing Middletown in the double-elimination regional portion of bracket on July 21. North Haven trailed 3-1 entering the bottom of the seventh inning, when Post 76 scored three runs to emerge victorious at DeMayo Ballfield. With one out and nobody on, Brendan Clark, Peyton Farina, and Kevin Lucey all singled to load the bases for North Haven. Steven Erbe followed by hitting a two-run double that scored Clark and Farina to tie the game. After that, Zach Pincince lifted a sacrifice fly to right field that brought home Lucey with the winning run.
Lucey had singled in a run to tie the game 1-1 in the bottom the first inning. Middletown scored a run in the third and another run in the sixth to go up 3-1. Clark drew two walks and also scored two runs. Danny Cannavaciolo had two singles, while Dave Christoforo hit a double and drew a walk. Griffin Bottomley started on the mound and allowed three runs in five innings for North Haven. Luca Lawrence pitched 1.1 scoreless innings in relief, and Tom Myjak retired Middletown’s last two batters in the seventh to get the win.
The following day, North Haven dropped a 2-0 decision versus Oakville at The Taft School in Watertown. Lawrence allowed one run in four innings, and Nate Zalegowski gave up a run in two innings pitched for Post 76. North Haven had just five hits on offense, including two singles by Farina and a double from Hunter Garthwait.
North Haven had previously completed its regular season by sweeping a doubleheader versus Orange on July 18 and then beating Orange again the following day. Post 76 notched a record of 16-5 in the Zone 2 standings during the regular season to finish in second place, just one game behind Hamden (17-4).
On July 18, North Haven and Orange played a doubleheader at DeMayo Ballfield, where the Indians earned a pair of dramatic walk-off victories. Post 76 took the opener by 4-3 final in 10 innings and then won the nightcap 1-0 after scoring a run in the bottom of the seventh. In the first game, North Haven took a 2-0 lead in the third inning, when Clark roped a two-run double that scored Christian Somma and Farina. In the sixth, Christoforo hit a double and was pinch-run for by Alex Page, who later scored on an error for a 3-1 advantage. Down to its last at-bat, Orange scored two runs in the seventh inning to tie the game, getting a two-out single to make it 3-3. The game stayed that way until the bottom of the 10th, when Erbe reached on an error and scored on a single from Page to give North Haven the 4-3 victory.
Garthwait earned the win by pitching 3.1 scoreless innings of relief for Post 76. Bottomley worked the first 4.1 innings, allowing just one run and striking out seven. Garthwait singled and walked, Christoforo walked and stole a base, and Erbe swiped two bases to aid the offense.
In the second game, Garthwait got another start and delivered by pitching three shutout innings. Zalegowski threw 3.2 scoreless innings, after which Zach Pincince retired the final batter in the seventh to keep the game tied 0-0. It didn’t stay scoreless for long as North Haven scored a run in the bottom half of the frame for its second walk-off win of the night. Somma worked a pinch-hit, one-out walk and then promptly stole second base to get it started. With two outs, Cannavaciolo got a pinch-hit single to advance Somma to third. DiMartino followed by hitting an RBI single to bring home Somma with the winning run. Clark had a single with a walk and a stolen base, while Pincince stole two bases for North Haven.
The following evening, North Haven faced Orange at Brinley Field and posted a 4-0 shutout in its regular-season finale. Lawrence earned the win with three scoreless innings. Myjak and Pincince both worked a scoreless innings, after which Clark threw two scoreless innings to get the save. Clark also drew three walks to go with a stolen base. Pincince walked twice, stole a base, and drove home a run. Christoforo had a double with an RBI, while Garthwait doubled, scored a run, and had an RBI. Cannavaciolo and Myjak both had a single with a run scored, and Page knocked in a run for Post 76.
Junior Legion Baseball
The North Haven Junior Legion baseball team won its last five regular-season games to finish with a record of 17-4 in Zone 2 this summer. Post 76 finished tied for Hamden with the best record in the Zone 2 standings on the season, although Hamden claimed the zone title because it won the season series versus North Haven, 2-1. In last week’s action, Post 76 notched a pair of victories versus Orange and also earned a win versus West Haven. The team will open play in the State Tournament this week.
North Haven hosted Orange on July 18 and recorded an 8-0 shutout at Bailey Road Field. Post 76 scored three runs in the first inning, four runs in the fifth, and tacked on another in the sixth on their way to the victory. Ryan Sullivan tossed six shutout innings with five strikeouts to get the win. Nick Rossi threw a scoreless seventh to finish it for Post 76.
Sullivan helped his cause on the mound by getting two hits to go walk and a run scored. Colby Cusano went 3-for-3 with three runs scored, while Anthony Cretella hit a double to go with a walk, two runs scored, and four RBI. Rossi singled, walked, twice, and drove home a pair of runs; Gianni DiMartino singled and scored, and Jaden Luedee had a single and an RBI.
The next day, Post 76 hit the road to face West Haven and prevailed 8-2. Dan Meyers threw six innings and allowed just two runs (1 earned) to get the victory. Jaden Luedee pitched a scoreless seventh inning to close it out.
Cretella went 2-for-4 with a double, two runs scored, and three RBI, while Rossi was 3-for-3 with a walk and one RBI for Post 76. Owen Silk had double to go with two walks, two runs scored, and a stolen base; Cusano had two hits and scored a run, and Luedee was 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI. Also, John Gontarek hit a two-run single, Sullivan scored two runs, and Anthony Cinicola drove home a run.
The day after that, North Haven faced Orange at Bailey Road Field and won 3-2 to wrap up the regular season. Post 76 trailed 2-0 entering the top of the sixth, when they scored three runs to take the lead. Dave Turcio walked, Cusano singled, and then Gianni DiMartino walked to get something going. With Cretella at the plate, Turcio scored on a wild pitch to make it 2-1. Cretella followed by socking a two-run double that scored Cusano and DiMartino to give North Haven a 3-2 lead.
Cinicola started and only gave up one run in 4.1 innings. Rossi picked up the win by allowing just one unearned run in 2.1 innings. Orange got two men on base in the bottom of the seventh, but Rossi got the final batter to ground out to first.
During the previous week, North Haven swept a doubleheader from West Haven at DeMayo Ballfield on July 14, winning the first game 9-2 and then claiming an 8-1 victory in the nightcap. In the first game, Meyers earned the win by allowing just two unearned runs in 5.2 innings. Turcio shut the door by pitching 1.1 scoreless innings.
Gontarek went 2-for-4 with a double, a run scored, and two RBI; DiMartino was 2-for-3 with two runs and an RBI, and Cretella hit a double to go with a run scored and an RBI. Luedee drew three walks, scored a run, and drove home a run, while Jack Peruso drew a pair of walks and scored a run.
In the second game, Cincola was the winning pitcher for North Haven by allowing just one hit through four scoreless innings of relief work. Turcio started and allowed one unearned run in two innings. Peruso finished off the victory by tossing a scoreless seventh.
Gontarek went 2-for-2 with two triples, two walks, a run scored, and three RBI, while Rossi was 2-for-3 with three RBI. Cretella had a single, walked twice, and scored four runs; DiMartino doubled, walked, and scored a run; Jason Landino hit a triple, and Luedee hit a single and scored two runs for Post 76.
Prep Legion Baseball
The North Haven Prep American Legion baseball team completed the 2018 season by hosting Zone A opponent Wallingford at Bailey Road Field at July 18. Post 76 recorded a 4-2 victory to finish its year with an record of 10-10 in the zone and 12-12 overall. North Haven finished in fourth place in the Zone A standings this year, 2.5 games behind first-place Wallingford.