The North Haven softball team experienced a regular season of perfection and, while the Nighthawks did not come away with a conference crown in the opening postseason phase of their 2023 campaign, it has just fired them up that much more to ensure a sweeter ending as it now ventures into states.

North Haven entered the SCC Tournament as the top seed thanks to an unblemished regular-season record of 20-0. After dispatching No. 8 West Haven (15-3 on May 22) in the draw’s quarterfinals and No. 5 Cheshire (5-3 the next day) for the semis, the Nighthawks found themselves in the championship game against No. 6 Amity on May 25 at West Haven High School.

Unfortunately for North Haven, it suffered its first setback of the season in taking a 7-6 loss. The Nighthawks held a 6-2 command entering the fifth inning before the Spartans rallied with a three-run fifth inning and then scored two in the top of the seventh frame to complete the comeback after holding North Haven off the scoreboard in the concluding bottom of the seventh.

In reflection after the initial loss for 2023, one of North Haven’s skippers is still plenty pleased when looking at the whole body of work thus far, including a swift squad that stole 77 bases this spring and even turned a triple play defensively.

“We knew the team had a lot of talent with seasoned experienced players,” said Vinny Cretella, who serves as the team’s Co-Head Coach with Sarah Lombardi. “Knowing the team was comfortable and knew what to expect under previous head coach Karen Castagnola, we were not going to change a lot. We had a lot of speed, power and versatile players on this team that can play multiple positions, and we try to put pressure on the defense as much as possible.”

On the night, junior Isabella Blanchard had an RBI single, plus fellow classmate Gabriella Blanchard notched a two-run single, as did sophomore Alexandra Anquillare.

After a scoreless first frame, North Haven took advantage of an Amity miscue by scoring the contest’s first tally off an error. The lead changed rather quickly with Amity plating two across home plate in the top of the third via a two-run baseknock.

The back-and-forth feel of the game continued in the same stanza. First, sophomore Alyssa DiGiovanna earned a triple and later North Haven completed a double steal after a dropped popup by Amity’s pitcher to tie things at two.

Next, Anquillare came up clutch with a two-tally hit to put North Haven ahead by two entering the fourth frame. The Nighthawks expanded their edge to 6-2 following the fourth, thanks to Blanchard’s two-RBI rip.

Amity started to chip away at its deficit in the fifth, making it a three-run clash after scoring on an infield single. The Spartans then got within one at 6-5 after a double and single in that same inning.

North Haven headed to the top of the seventh three outs from its first conference crown in five years and earned the first two before the Spartans struck again by earning a base hit to score two runs and lead 7-6. The Nighthawks still had the bottom of the seventh to try and drum up some dramatics of their own, but it was not to be as they went down in order.

“This group of girls is genuinely so much fun to watch and coach,” said Lombardi. “They have a passion for the game that shows every time they hit the field. A mix of age and talent has helped carry our season. The girls have been consistent from the start of the season until now. Their drive and love to compete is what led them to an unbelievable season.”

With regards to the All-SCC Team, North Haven had plenty of representation on the roster. DiGiovanna, senior co-captain Kayla Balisciano, and senior Jules Galasso earned selection to the First Team, and then garnering Second Team recognition was junior Gabby Blanchard as part of a Nighthawks’ club that just rose to the occasion as the stakes rose exponentially to keep the perfect regular season mark intact.

“After going 10-0 the first half of the year, we knew that teams were going to get better and the games were gonna get harder,” said Cretella. “The second Foran game, we knew it was going to be a battle, especially being on the road, and we outlasted them in eight innings. And I knew that the East Haven game was going to be our hardest game. They are our rivals and always have a competitive team. With two outs and down by two runs, we managed to put two runners on, and Alyssa DiGiovanna came up and hit a double to win the game. Then, we are down to Mercy 6-2 going into the seventh inning and cut the deficit to 6-4, and Alyssa comes up again on the second pitch with a three-run, walk-off homer. To me, those were the most exciting games of our season.”

Despite the disappointment of the SCC final, North Haven was still well in play for another piece of postseason hardware in the form of a Class L State Tournament title. The Nighthawks were the top seed in the draw and earned a first-round bye. In the second round on May 31, they hosted No. 16 Berlin and won a thriller, 2-1, in eight innings. Next up, North Haven played host to No. 9 Ellington (16-6) in the quarterfinals on June 2 and lost a tightly-contested 1-0 decision in eight innings to finish a still very proud season 23-2 overall.

“We never thought we would end up going undefeated. They are a resilient, humble group of girls that believe in themselves and never give up,” said Cretella. “Our biggest obstacle was our strength of schedule in that we really didn’t play the top schools. We told the girls another season is starting. We are the number one seed. Going into the Amity game for the championship, we could not hold a lead. We ended up losing the game and obviously a tough loss. It showed that we can play with anyone and were prepared for the state tournament. I’m extremely proud of this scrappy, gritty team.”

The Nighthawks full team roster is comprised of seniors Balisciano, co-captain Maria Lockery, Galasso, Mia O’Brien; juniors Ninamarie Demannato, Avery Berney, Blanchard, Reese Herbert, Isabella Blanchard, Brooklyn Bonner; sophomores Anquliere, Lana Cervero, Alyssa Ferriouolo, Ava Shamett, Makayla Mongollo, Isabella Crouch, Liliana Anderson, DiGiovanna; freshmen Emelia Brandi, Lauren Petruzzelli, and Giavana Morgillo.

2023 North Haven Softball Team Regular Season Results

April 3: North Haven 11, Staples 6

April 5: North Haven 17, Shelton 2

April 8: North Haven 11, Lauralton Hall 3

April 10: North Haven 3, Foran 2

April 12: North Haven 7, Hand 0

April 14: North Haven 9, East Haven 4

April 17: North Haven 13, Mercy 7

April 19: North Haven 14, Sheehan 2

April 21: North Haven 19, Hamden 0

April 24: North Haven 15, Branford 5

April 26: North Haven 19, Lauralton Hall 7

April 28: North Haven 13, Shelton 1

May 1: North Haven 8, Foran 4

May 3: North Haven 6, Hand 1

May 5: North Haven 6, East Haven 5

May 8: North Haven 7, Mercy 6

May 10: North Haven 9, Sheehan 4

May 15: North Haven 12, Hamden 0

May 16: North Haven 14, Branford 0

May 18: North Haven 9, Lyman Hall 1