Printer Friendly Version - NB Baseball Ready for Championship Chase After Regular Season Littered with Wins

Pictured is Head Coach Billy Mitchell and the North Branford baseball team after the Thunderbirds defeated East Hampton 3-0 on May 3 and Mitchell earned his 200th win as the program’s skipper. Photo courtesy of Todd Stoeffler

The North Branford baseball team has harnessed the true essence of team chemistry to drive a will to work hard for the man next to them in the dugout. Along the way, the Thunderbirds have taken great flight by playing the game the right way and seeing some impressive personal milestones achieved along the way.

Last year following a 12-8 regular season mark, the T-Birds reached the Shoreline Conference Tournament final before falling to Valley Regional, and they additionally qualified for the Class M State Tournament.

The Thunderbirds are on the fast track to another terrific playoff push after polishing off an impressive regular season mark of 15-5. North Branford has surpassed its win total from a year ago, thanks in large part to the hallmarks of a championship club by flashing the leather and heroic heaves from its arms.

“Our defense and pitching have been tremendous this season,” said Head Coach Billy Mitchell. “We have a couple of main starters, but then we have about five or six guys right behind them who have been great. We beat a very good Class S team in Woodstock Academy in 10 innings with about four pitchers. Our team is tough to score on and hard to beat if we get four or five runs in a game.”

North Branford’s longtime skipper even secured a personal milestone on May 3, when he collected his 200th win with the T-Birds after the boys blanked East Hampton by a 3-0 final. Always a consummate coach and professional, Mitchell heaped all of the praise for the achievement onto the long list of players he has guided in his tenure.

“I am proud of it,” Mitchell said. “I have had the privilege to coach a lot of good players over the years, so this really is a tribute to them and what they have done. I am proud of the 200 wins and those players; I don’t know what else to say.”

One of those proficient pitchers on the T-Birds’ staff is senior captain and Southern Connecticut State University commit Caleb Allen. He is joined at the captain’s helm by junior cohort Matt Scalia, who patrols the grass between right and center field. Mitchell praised the boys for being a glue that has bolstered the bonds and cohesion behind much of the team’s triumphs.

“Caleb is our No. 1 pitcher and leads by example. All he does is pitch, and he has been one of our main leaders,” said Mitchell. “Matt is another guy that leads the team and hits fourth in the lineup. They are both leaders, and that is what makes this year’s team so special. The guys here have that camaraderie and togetherness.”

Another junior class standout has been Yamil Perez as a backstop with a big bat at catcher. Junior Jason O’Connor is in the heart of the outfield at center, plus senior shortstop Victor Castillo brings great leadership to the infield. Junior Kyle Stegina is at the hot corner of third base while also pitching, alongside classmate and hurler Adam Virginelli. In the underclass, sophomores Charlie O’Brien (outfield) and second baseman Gavin Leone have provided sparks.

“Yamil is one of the best hitting catchers and catchers overall in the Shoreline Conference. He bats fifth and has had some big home runs this year. He is a leader and a tremendous player. Jason is our best base runner and is a complete team player who plays hard,” said Mitchell. “Victor is a solid player on both defense and offense. Kyle is a really good pitcher, and Adam is one of our main pitchers and has probably played every position this year; he’s been huge. Charlie and Gavin have also been huge parts of our team.”

While Mother Nature has been more cooperative than it was to start the campaign, the T-Birds had a busy final four-game week to the regular season. The Thunderbirds take their first postseason flight for 2024 with a Shoreline Conference Tournament quarterfinal bout with Old Saybrook at home on Monday, May 20 at 4 p.m.

And while the slate may have seen them take on all comers from various conferences, the boys know it will only make them more battle-tested for the big title bouts of the postseason.

“We had so many rainouts, so we had a lot of games in the last week of the regular season, and so a lot of guys got to play this past week,” said Mitchell. “Our schedule is packed with out-of-conference games, which helped us I think. We are looking to just put ourselves in a position to do damage.”

The 2024 North Branford roster is comprised of seniors Castillo, Peter Ramada, Allen; juniors Brady Minnocci, Larson Dievert, Virginelli, O’ Connor, Perez, Scalia, Rayn DeLucia, Stegina, Jason Cosgrove; sophomores Michael Budd, Nicco Martone, Leone, Jacob Poston, O’Brien, Caleb Raymond, Gabriel Blyschak; plus freshmen Lorenzo Annuziato, Anthony Cassella, Aiden Koltypin, Craig Miller Jr, Gian Troche, and Mario Urbano.

Mitchell is assisted this year by CJ Hersom, Ron Ragozzino, Nick Mancini, and Frank Mentone.