After missing several of its top pitchers for most of the year, the East Haven baseball team saw its entire arsenal come back with a little less than two weeks left in the regular season. The Yellowjackets were bolstered by their returns and showed their potential for the future by picking up two victories during the final week of play this spring.

East Haven claimed a 10-4 win versus Hillhouse-Career before taking a 5-3 loss in 8 innings to Lyman Hall last week. The Easties then finished the season on a high note by posting a 2-1 victory over Branford in their finale.

East Haven collected 10 hits when it started its week with a 10-4 home win against the Career-Hillhouse co-op squad on May 17. Sophomore Jason Kapinos led the way with a double, a triple, and 4 RBI, while fellow sophomore Peyton Torre had 2 hits for the Easties.

Junior Aaron McIntyre pitched the first 5 innings for the Yellowjackets, allowing 4 hits, after which freshman Janvier Diaz threw the final 2 innings. Both players were among the four pitchers who returned the previous week after having missed a good portion of the season. Head Coach Butch Johnson said that McIntyre improved tremendously this year, while Diaz displayed tremendous potential as a freshman.

The other two returning pitchers were Torre and sophomore Mason McCarroll. All four players will be back next year and showed a glimpse of what they’re capable during last week’s games.

“We got our pitchers back. We had four guys that basically didn’t throw at all this year. They were all ready to go with a week and a half left. It starts with pitching,” Coach Johnson said. “When those kids came back, it boosted us up, and we were able to earn a couple wins. I wish we could start the season now, because now we’re healthy.”

Torre had an opportunity to show that potential when he took the start at Lyman Hall on May 18. The sophomore pitched a complete game, allowing just 1 run in the first 6 innings. East Haven eventually lost the game by a 5-3 score on a walk-off home run in the eighth. Junior Jack Angelo had a hit and two RBI, while fellow junior Liam Hay also drove in a run.

While those four pitchers were sidelined for most of the season, Angelo took on the responsibility of being the Yellowjackets’ ace. Coach Johnson called Angelo a gamer and said that he always gives it his all every time he takes the mound. Johnson said that when Angelo was pitching, “We always had a chance.”

Angelo made his final start of the season in East Haven’s last game of the year at Branford on May 20. Angelo tossed a complete game for the Easties, allowing 5 hits, 1 run, and walking just 3. Johnson called the junior’s start, “a beauty.” Ultimately, the Yellowjackets came away with a 2-1 victory when Diaz drove home the go-ahead run with a base hit in the top of the seventh. The win put East Haven’s overall record at 4-16 on the season.

With the improvement of numerous players, Coach Johnson feels that the program’s momentum is pointing in the right direction. The Yellowjackets’ skipper said that the past two weeks have been eye-opening and that the team has a lot to look forward to in the coming years.

“It’s totally different. It was a 100-percent turnaround in the last two weeks,” said Johnson. “We have a lot of promise and a lot to look forward to.”

Some of the players who stepped up this season include sophomore Kapinos in the outfield, sophomore Jose Hernandez at first base and in the outfield, sophomore P.J. Carrangelo behind the plate, freshman Billy Barthel at third base, and freshman Cameron Lacroix as an outfielder and the backup catcher. Coach Johnson said each player had a strong season and put themselves in contention for more playing time next year.

Along with the promise of the younger players, Johnson noted that the Easties featured a strong group of veteran leaders this season. That effort started with senior captain Dom Golia and junior captain Ryan Vallie. Coach Johnson said that Golia led by example on the field and was always there to pick up his teammates. He added that Vallie is another player who leads by example and had a .400 batting average to boot. Johnson that every time Vallie is on the field, he’s looking to put in the work and improve.

Marcello Proto and Tim Case were the two other seniors on East Haven’s roster this season. Coach Johnson said that the Yellowjackets’ upperclassmen always had their heads in the game, no matter the outcome. He added that they always put the team’s best interest first and were constantly looking for ways to help the club get better.

“They did what we asked them to do,” Johnson said. “They never complained. Even if we were getting pounded in some games, they kept playing.”

With so many returning players, the East Haven baseball team will have a good opportunity to take a big step forward in the 2023 campaign. However, before the Yellowjackets get there, Coach Johnson is looking for his players to grow both on and off the field during the offseason.

“We’re going to focus on strength conditioning and try to get the guys more hitting and pitching lessons to build the program up,” said Johnson. “We want to get the younger kids involved. Playing a little more baseball if they aren’t playing another sport. Just bonding together and learning the game even more.”