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Guilford Baseball Notches a Pair of Shutouts

After starting out its season with two hard-fought losses, the Guilford baseball team was determined to bounce back and get in the win column last week. The Grizzlies did that in emphatic fashion by earning a pair of shutout victories to improve their record to 2-2 on the young season.

Following a loss to Branford in its opener, Guilford started off last week by taking a 10-9 defeat against Hand in 8 innings on April 4. However, the Grizzlies rebounded to notch a 10-0 win versus Wilbur Cross on April 8 and a 7-0 victory over East Lyme the following day to level their record this year.

For Head Coach Nick Merullo, the beginning of the 2022 season is all about working out the kinks and nerves on his squad. Now that Guilford has those first wins out of the way, Coach Merullo is expecting the Grizzlies to continue improving and compete with the likes of the best teams in the state this spring.

“First and foremost, I expect this team to represent their school, families, community, and our baseball program proudly. We will do that by carrying ourselves the right way in the classroom and community and playing the game the right way on the field,” said Coach Merullo, who is in his second season with the Grizzlies. “We have a great group of kids with a desire to work hard and improve each day. They believe in each other and trust in their coaching staff. I think we have the talent to compete with just about anyone on our schedule.”

Guilford opened its season with a road game versus Branford on April 2 and dropped a 10-7 decision the Hornets. Two days later, Guilford traveled to Madison to play Hand and took a 10-9 defeat in an 8-inning game. Guilford held a 9-4 lead entering the bottom of the seventh inning, but the Tigers tied the score with five runs in the frame and then won the game by scoring the winning run in the bottom of the eighth.

Junior right fielder Sam Ametrano went 3-for-3 with 3 runs scored and 3 walks for Guilford on the day. Six different Grizzlies’ players accounted for an RBI in the contest, including senior captain Mike Torre; juniors Carter Williams, Brendan Skoglund, and Jack Farrah; sophomore catcher Mike Buccaro; and sophomore Bryce Meder.

“The game had the intensity and feel of a postseason game, even though it was just game two. There were four different lead changes throughout the game, and both teams battled all afternoon,” Coach Merullo said. “We played a great game for 6 and ½ innings, but are still learning how to close out games against good teams.”

On April 9, Guilford hosted Wilbur Cross and recorded a 10-0 shutout for its first win of the year. Meder took the mound and went the distance on a one-hitter with 7 strikeouts for the Grizzlies. Williams went 2-for-4 with 2 runs scored and 2 RBI, while Buccaro was 1-for-3 with a walk, a run, and RBI in the victory.

Coach Merullo knows how important it was for Guilford to put that first win in the books, especially since the Grizzlies will have to navigate a challenging schedule while competing in the Southern Connecticut Conference.

“It is so difficult to win games in our league, and that is a credit to the great coaches and players around our league. We will have to do the little things right in order to come out on top each day,” said Merullo. “The SCC is as good of a baseball league as any in the state. That being said, we expect to compete every day and feel like we will have a chance to put together a strong season, and our goal is to qualify for the State Tournament.”

Guilford finished off its week by claiming a 7-0 home victory over East Lyme in a non-conference game on April 9. Junior Andrew Shosho picked up where Meder left off by tossing a complete game for the Grizzlies, scattering 6 hits and fanning 8 batters in 7 innings of work. In addition to Shosho’s effort on the hill, Buccaro, Torre, senior Tyler Zajkowski, and junior Alex Vincent each had two hits to help Coach Merullo’s club earn its second win in a row.

“We played solid team defense, and are getting great at bats all throughout the lineup. Andrew Shosho and Bryce Meder combined for 13 shutout innings on the mound over our two games this weekend. Each threw a complete game to lead us,” Merullo said. “The makeup of this team is coming together. They all pull for each other’s success and, hopefully, this weekend gave us some confidence we can carry into next week.”

Torre and fellow senior Aiden McBrierty are the Grizzlies’ senior captains this season. Both players have plenty of experience as varsity athletes at Guilford High School, and Coach Merullo said that they’re doing an excellent job of leading the charge on the ballfield.

“They both have had great success representing Guilford in other sports. Mike was an All-State hockey player, and Aiden was All-SCC in football this year,” said Merullo. “They will provide valuable senior leadership for our team. Both of them lead by example, doing things the right way. They are not afraid to be vocal when the time is right. They have the respect of their teammates and coaching staff, and we couldn’t ask for two better kids to represent us in that department.”

Coach Merullo feels encouraged by Guilford’s strong start after the team went 2-16 last year. Merullo and his fellow coaches made it a priority to invest time in their players during the offseason, and that effort is already paying dividends for the Grizzlies in 2022.

“Starting after Thanksgiving, we began strength and conditioning training together multiple times a week. The team has had a more typical offseason to build relationships and the bond that is essential for team success,” Coach Merullo said. “We have adopted a team-first attitude and are continuing to develop positive, trusting relationships as a team to reach our collective goals. This group of players has bought in to everything the coaching staff has asked of them, and we’re excited to watch them play.”

Guilford’s roster for the 2022 season features senior captains Mike Torre and Aiden McBrierty; seniors Max Corbett, Ryan Halas, Tyler Zajkowski, Ethan Clark, Chris Golino, and David Riccio; juniors Brendan Skoglund, Cole Vashel, Carter Williams, Jack Farrah, Alex Vincent, Preston Markham, Cole Morgan-Berry, Sam Ametrano, and Andrew Shosho; sophomores Bryce Meder, Colin Pompano, Joe Tafro, and Mike Buccaro; and freshman Lucas Deshefy. Coaching alongside Merullo are assistants Jeff Mainetti, John Foti, and Jeff Letourneau.