The Max Sinoway 11-U All-Stars baseball team refused to quit after losing its first three games in the District 4 Tournament this summer. Instead, North Haven’s squad rattled off four-straight victories to take home this year’s District 4 crown, capping off its comeback with a 2-1 victory versus Milford in the championship game.

In its first three games of the tournament, Max Sinoway took a 13-1 loss to Milford, a 4-2 loss to Orange, and then another defeat versus Milford with an 8-1 loss in pool play. Head Coach Gregg Pugliese felt that his team wasn’t playing up to its capabilities, but knew that North Haven still had time to turn things around in the tourney.

“We didn’t hit the first three games. We knew we could hit. They were all All-Stars. They were there for a reason,” Pugliese said. “We knew as a team that we could do it. We knew we weren’t playing up to the level that we should have been. They turned it around and did not give up. It was the kids leading the way.”

Max Sinoway bounced back to win its next three pool-play games with a 10-0 victory over Orange, followed by 16-1 and 3-2 wins versus Branford. The second win against Branford earned North Haven a spot in the final for a rematch with a Milford team that it was unable to beat in its two prior chances.

“They had already beaten us twice. There’s an old saying in baseball: ‘It’s hard to beat a team three times in a row.’ We had that in our heads,” said Pugliese. “We knew that if we could just get to the championship, anything could happen. Coming off the 3-2 win over Branford to get into the championship, we knew we could do it.”

On July 13, Max Sinoway took on Milford for the District 4 title at Montowese Park in North Haven. Hayden Pugliese got the start for Sinoway and pitched 5.2 innings, allowing just one run on three hits and striking out 12.

Pugliese led off the fourth inning with a single and was later driven in on a double by Blake O’Connor. Justin Wolkovitz then hit a single that brought home Pugliese. Those two runs were all North Haven needed as O’Connor recorded the last out of the game to solidify a 2-1 victory and the district championship for the 11-U All-Stars.

“It was amazing. I was so proud of them. To not give up, to know they had it in them, to know they got there after everybody already counted them out—I was just so proud of them,” Coach Pugliese said. “It was an incredible game. It was a pitching duel the whole way.”

Max Sinoway’s roster includes Matty Almeida, Brandon Asprelli, Blake O’Connor, Kyle Manfield, Jack Minnix, Hayden Pugliese, Cody Scasino, Sarthak Shah, Luca Spadacenta, and Justin Wolkovitz. Coach Pugliese’s assistant coach is Tom Minnix.

Following the District 4 Tournament, North Haven competed in the Section 1 Tournament with opportunity to advance to the state’s final four. Sinoway took a 15-0 loss to Fairfield American in its first game and was then eliminated with a 4-0 loss against Wilton.

Even with those defeats, Coach Pugliese was impressed with how his team performed throughout its run this summer, especially when North Haven had its back against the wall in districts. Pugliese is eager to watch what this group of athletes can accomplish when they go up to the 12-U level next year.

“We ran up against some really good teams. It was nice after losing those three games to go on a run, win districts, and make it to sectionals. Just being in sectionals was a great opportunity for these guys,” said Pugliese. “Next year at 12-U, we’ll have this core group back. We hope to have the same results with a different finish in the sectionals.”

Coach Pugliese said that his team never gave up, even when Sinoway was down big against Fairfield American. Pugliese was pleased to see his players keep hustling on the field and cheering in the dugout with the belief that they could still come back and win the game.

Most of the athletes on North Haven’s roster had played together on an 11-U travel team in the spring. Pugliese said that the camaraderie formed from that experience helped Sinoway shine on the diamond during the All-Stars season.

“Everybody contributed in every game. When someone does make a mistake—and mistakes happen—they pick each other up. We have some real leaders on this team,” Pugliese said. “That was a message throughout the season. It’s important that not just the coaches lead by example, but the kids, too. It really means a lot.”

In addition to coaching the 11-U All-Stars, Pugliese is also the president of the Max Sinoway baseball organization. Pugliese saw Sinoway’s 10-U, 11-U, and 12-U teams win their respective District 4 titles this year. On the heels of such a successful summer, Pugliese feels that North Haven baseball is in great shape for years to come.

“I was very proud to be the president in a year where we won the 10s, 11s, and 12s for districts. We have a lot of baseball talent for a relatively small town,” said Pugliese. “The future looks really bright. I’m excited to see what these kids will do.”