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07/26/2015 12:00 AMThe East Haven Prep Legion baseball team wrapped up its regular season with the Zone 2 championship in its clutches by virtue of a 19-1 record in zone play—a whopping seven games ahead of second-place Stratford. The 89ers clinched the zone by sweeping a doubleheader against North Haven (8-3 and 10-7) on July 21 before taking two versus West Haven by scores of 8-2 and 12-5. East Haven then earned its 15th-straight Zone 2 victory with a 5-4 win over Stratford on July 24.
Head Coach John Longley's club went 20-3 overall for the regular season and began State Tournament play against Ridgefield on July 27. The state final takes place at Palmer Field in Middletown on Sunday, Aug. 2.
"I'm excited about that and it's a great accomplishment, but the kids did all the work. I kept them settled down and talked them through tough situations, but they worked hard and won the games," said Longley on winning the zone. "I told them to be aggressive as they're a fast and talented team and they took it upon themselves. I have a handful of kids fast enough to steal any base and I've given them the green light. They know when they can get the base. They're smart and I'm very proud of them."
East Haven began last week with a pair of victories at North Haven. The 89ers were triumphant in the first game, 8-3, and then they took the second contest by a 10-7 final.
For the opener, Anthony Buffone earned the win on the mound as he went the distance, striking out four. Offensively, Andrew Luzzi and Gabe Longley each had two hits, a stolen base, an RBI, and a run; Luke Delguidice had a double, RBI, and a run; and Buffone scored twice and stole a base. It was a tight contest early as they two teams were knotted 3-3, but East Haven took advantage of a pair of throwing errors to plate four runs and secure the win.
In the nightcap, Dom DeRosa earned the victory in relief of Sal Buffone as the 89ers' bats delivered some timely hits with runners in scoring position. Carlos Lugo had a big double that scored two and Longley hit a single with the bases loaded that plated two more. Luzzi finished with three hits, a stolen base, an RBI, and a run; Deguidice had two hits and an RBI; and Sal Buffone had an RBI and scored twice.
"As a coach, it's a great feeling when you have a team that plays so well," Longley said. "It's more the kids than me. They put in the work. I guide them, try to get them to think about baseball."
After the clinching victories, East Haven was awarded a pair of forfeit wins over two other Zone 2 clubs in West Haven and Branford.
Then on June 23, East Haven played at West Haven in a doubleheader and won both games. In the 8-2 victory, Jason Gieparda went six on the hill, allowing four hits and striking out four to earn the win. Anthony Buffone had a hit, four walks, scored twice, and drove home a run; Luzzi had two hits and a run scored; Anthony Pacheco had two hits and a run scored; Matt Pycela doubled and scored a run; Longley had two RBI; and Delguidice knocked home one.
In East Haven's 12-5 win for the second game, Pacheco won by tossing six innings. It was a tight contest until the fifth as West Haven had a 2-1 lead, but the 89ers broke the game open with a bunch of runs. Anthony Buffone, Pacheco, and Delguidice had two RBI each; Lugo had three hits, a stolen base, scored twice and drove in one; plus Longley added two hits, a stolen base, an RBI, and a run scored.
East Haven's final regular season game of the year came the following day and saw the 89ers edge out Stratford 5-4 at home on June 24.
"This was a great game. It was a good team effort and a great game," Longley said. "I didn't want it to be that close, but the kids have nerves of steel. They get the runs when they need them. I'd like a few more runs, so I can breathe, but it was a good win before the playoffs start."
DeRosa earned the win in relief of Delguidice and Ryan Spano got the save. Offensively, Anthony Buffone had three hits, a stolen base, and RBI, and a run scored; Sal Buffone had a hit and an RBI; Spano collected two hits, a stolen base, and a run scored; and Luzzi had two hits and an RBI. Additionally, Pacheco had a double and a run scored; Delguidice had a triple and scored a run; and Gabe Longley scored a run and produced the game-winning hit on a bunt.
With East Haven losing 4-3 in the fifth inning, Spano led off with a walk and stole second. Then with one out, Delguidice tripled him home on a blast to right-center field. With Stratford's infield in, Longley pulled off a successful squeeze bunt down the first base line to give East Haven the lead.
"The successful suicide squeeze, they were making a pitching change. I know what [Gabe] is thinking. He knows he wants to put the bunt down," Longley said. "First pitch, he puts a great bunt down the first base line, they try to get Delguidice out at the plate, but it wasn't even close."
Beating Stratford solidified a 20-win campaign for the East Haven Prep Legion baseball team. Coach Longley feels proud about how his group played during the regular season and they now get ready to compete in the postseason.
"It's been a pleasure coaching these kids. They get along. There's not a kid on the team that is a 'me' kind of player. They pull for each other and I told them when we first started, give 100 percent and don't quit," Longley said. "Even in losses, they did what they could to produce. They put the ball in play a lot and they put pressure on the other teams to make plays. They hustle, play good defense, we had good pitching, and it's a solid group. It makes it easy for me."