Printer Friendly Version - Warriors’ Baseball Ready to Bust Through Championship Doors

Senior captain and center fielder Sam Hutchinson and the Valley Regional baseball team are ready to make a run at Shoreline and state crowns after returning several key pieces of a 22-win club last spring. Photo by Wesley Bunnell/The Courier

Brayden Sparaco, a senior captain for the Warriors’ baseball team, will look to figure as one of several strong arms for Valley’s pitching staff this spring. Photo by Wesley Bunnell/The Courier

For the past few campaigns, the Valley Regional baseball team has polished off several successful regular seasons, which led to high rankings for postseason tournaments. After being a favorite for league and state championships on paper, the Warriors are chomping at the bit to grasp the tangible hardware of titles.

The Warriors return to the field for 2023 after having posted an overall record of 22-4 while winning two games in both the Shoreline Conference Tournament and the Class S State Tournament, advancing to the championship game of Shorelines and the quarterfinal round in states. As the No. 1 seed in the Shoreline draw, the Warriors took care of East Hampton (15-1) and then North Branford (8-3) before falling to Old Saybrook by a 4-2 final.

Head Coach Brian Drinkard and Valley were then seeded second for the Class S states bracket. There, the Warriors defeated East Windsor 8-3 in the opening round prior to dispatching Plainville by a 15-1 rout. Valley then bowed out to No. 7 Oxford in the quarters by a 9-5 outcome.

While Valley was certainly proud of what was accomplished a year ago, the Warriors are equally eager to redeem themselves for their playoff shortcomings from 2022 and look to make 2023 a banner year, in more ways than one, with conference and state crowns.

“Coming off a very successful season at 22-4 with a very disappointing finish in the conference finals and state tournament, our players are eager to get back out on the field,” said Drinkard. “It’s a brand new season, and we will have our work cut out for us in the Shoreline Conference. We know we have targets on our backs coming into the season, and we also know that there are very good teams in this conference.”

From that 22-triumph squad, Valley welcomes back a dazzling dozen of varsity players–highlighted at the top by four senior captains in center fielder Sam Hutchinson, who has committed to Central Connecticut State University, Colin Carver on the mound (Marist University commit), pitcher/third baseman Brayden Sparaco (Southern Connecticut State University), and Lucas Rogers (Wilkes University) doubling behind the dish and at second base.

Hutchinson, an All-Shoreline Conference First Team selection a spring ago, hit for a .388 batting average with eight triples, seven home runs, and 37 RBI. Carver carved out a .405 average to go with 10 doubles, six homers, and 24 RBI. At the plate, Sparaco (All-Shoreline Conference Second Team in 2022) hit the ball at a .353 clip with five doubles and 21 RBI, while Rogers committed only one error in 69 pick-off attempts to second base.

“The four college-bound players will be our captains this season,” said Drinkard. “That being said, we have many other three-year starters in that group that will be leaders on and off the field.”

Those aforementioned additional senior pieces on the team will include shortstop and 2022 All-Shoreline Conference Team Honorable Mention Jack Finnegan (.302 batting average last year), Brayden Shea in right field (.274 batting average, three triples, and two home runs), catcher/left fielder Reed Beighau (.327 average), Henry Breckenfeld on both the hill and at first, and second/third baseman and outfielder Luke Buccaro.

Aside from the seniors, there are also underclassmen who can provide a lot of value to the Warriors this spring. Sophomores of infielders Caleb Winkley (who will also double as a pitcher), Braden Karcich, plus Jack McPherson in the outfield will also prove pivotal on the Valley roster.

“We have a few more players we will be looking at from the JV team last season and the incoming freshman class,” said Drinkard. “There are always a few pleasant surprises in high school baseball from year to year, and we are hoping that we find them again this season. We hope to get quality starts from Carver, Sparaco, and Breckenfeld and plan to piece the rest of our pitching staff together around those three.”

In his final remarks as the season commences, Drinkard noted that the Warriors have stood at the precipice of conference championship glory, but have come up empty on a pair of occasions. Yet Valley is using this as a major motivational force towards being in its prime come postseason play.

“We have two consecutive trips to the Shoreline finals with no titles, and we hope to improve on that this season,” declared Drinkard. “We hope to be playing our best baseball when it counts this season.”