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06/26/2022 12:00 AMBy virtue of winning the Southern Connecticut Conference title and breaking numerous records, Head Coach Ed Crisafi described the East Haven softball team’s 2022 season as a “year of firsts.” In order for the Yellowjackets to achieve such success, Coach Crisafi said that it took strong leadership from the team’s three seniors and a willingness from each player in the program to work together every single day.
The Easties finished with an overall record of 23-3 in a season that was filled with achievements. East Haven won the SCC Oronoque title with a divisional record of 8-0, claimed its first SCC championship in program history, and then advanced to the quarterfinal round of the Class L State Tournament on its way to setting school records for the most victories and best winning percentage (.885) in a season.
East Haven started the campaign by winning eight of its first nine games. After taking a loss, the Yellowjackets went on a 15-game winning streak that carried all the way into the state tourney.
Coach Crisafi knew that this year’s squad had the potential to be special heading into the season. East Haven had graduated several key athletes from its 2021 team, but Crisafi felt confident in what his returning players had to offer.
“We had lost six starters. We knew that we had the three seniors coming back, who were all starters since they were freshmen. And we knew we had Emilee [Bishop],” Coach Crisafi said. “We knew we had a chance in every single game. We just had to do what we needed to do, and we would be fine. That’s exactly what happened.”
After a posting an 18-2 regular-season record, East Haven entered the SCC Tournament as the No. 1 seed and defeated Shelton (2-0) and West Haven (9-1) to advance to a matchup against Jonathan Law in the final. On May 25, the Easties claimed a 6-1 victory over Law at West Haven High School to win the conference title for the first time. Bishop, a senior captain, received the Danni Kemp Most Outstanding Player Award for the tournament.
“In the past years, we haven’t taken to the SCC Tournament like we do in the State Tournament. Once you get that first win and make the finals, it has a State Tournament feel to it,” said Crisafi. “It was really nice. All the staff and players were elated. It will be nice to hang up that banner.”
Following SCCs, East Haven competed in the Class L State Tournament as the No. 4 seed. The Yellowjackets earned wins versus Bethel (12-1) and Torrington (9-2) before taking a 9-7, 8-inning loss versus Bristol Eastern in the quarterfinals.
East Haven trailed 4-0, but came back to tie the game. After Bristol Eastern retook the lead, the Easties rallied to knot the score at 7-7 and send the game into extras. Bristol Eastern went on to score 2 runs in the eighth inning to get the win, but Coach Crisafi felt proud of his team for displaying tremendous resiliency in the game.
“Being ranked 4th, we knew we would get three home games if we kept winning,” Crisafi said. “We had a nice draw in the first game. In the quarters, we ran into a Cinderella like we were three years ago. They got hot at the right time. But we were resilient all year. It was a great year.”
Coach Crisafi said that the leadership of East Haven’s three senior captains proved crucial in helping the Yellowjackets enjoy a storybook season. Bishop, a pitcher/shortstop who was named the team’s Most Valuable Player; Lena Barthel, a catcher who won the Sportsmanship Award; and Jilien Ayala, a third baseman/outfielder who won the Coaches’ Award; have all been starters since their freshman years. Crisafi has known each player since their youth softball days. Crisafi said that the performance of his senior captain trio played a huge role in building the legacy of East Haven softball.
“They went through it as freshmen. They went through it last year. They knew what it was all about,” said Crisafi. “They worked hard in the offseason and knew how to keep the team chemistry together.”
All three of East Haven’s captains were named to the All-SCC Oronoque Division First Team. Bishop and Barthel were each selected to the All-SCC First Team, while Ayala was an All-SCC Second Team honoree for the Easties. Bishop also earned a spot on the All-State First Team and was named the SCC Player of the Year and the New Haven Umpires Player of the Year. On top of that, Bishop and Barthel broke several longstanding East Haven softball records during the 2022 season.
Barthel, who got her 100th career hit this year, broke the school record for hits (45), RBI (34), and doubles (10) in a season. She also set the record for most career doubles with 22. At the plate, Bishop set the school record for runs (40), home runs (9), walks (20), on-base percentage (.689), and batting average (.603) in a season. Her batting average broke a record that had stood for 38 years. On the mound, Bishop broke school records for the most strikeouts (183) and wins (20) in a season. As a junior last year, Bishop posted a 1.24 ERA, which is also a school record.
Coach Crisafi knew that the Yellowjackets always had a great chance to win whenever Bishop was on the mound. Bishop took on the role as East Haven’s primary pitcher prior to last year’s State Tournament. Crisafi said that the senior captain continued working hard during the offseason and proved a dominant force in her final campaign with the Yellowjackets.
“It started at the end of last year, when we inserted her into the role of our No. 1. We knew we had something special,” Crisafi said. “She worked even harder in the offseason. She increased her speed. She hit her spots constantly. We knew we were going to be in every single game because of her.”
East Haven’s junior class for the 2022 season featured Lily Gagnon, Arielle Dupree, Callie Capotorto, Adriana Franceschi, Gianna Bernovich, and Autumn Clancy. The sophomores on the squad were Miranda Consiglio and Gianna Fowler. Gianna Santoro, Bella Jaskowicz, Lexi Heaphy, and Hailey Cooper were members of the team as freshmen.
Coach Crisafi’s coaching staff included Associate Head Coach Jeff Crisafi, along with assistant coaches Jenna Gaudioso-Crisafi, Erika D’Amore, and Talia Loda.
As the Easties say good-bye to three sensational seniors, Coach Crisafi is hoping that the impact they’ve made on the program will resonate for years to come. Crisafi wants to see next year’s seniors replicate that type of leadership. On the heels of a record-breaking season, Crisafi is looking for the Yellowjackets to ride their momentum into 2023 and continue demonstrating why they’re one of the best teams in Connecticut.
“We want them to take heed of what this year’s seniors did, just like they did from last year’s six seniors. Follow the seniors’ lead,” said Crisafi. “Good leadership, keeping the team together, no drama, do things together, like each other, and practice hard. That’s been a trait of our team the past couple of years. We practice hard every single day. I’m sure they’ll follow in their footsteps. Hopefully, East Haven softball will continue to be a team to reckon with.”