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05/01/2016 12:00 AMBaseball
North Haven split its two games last week and now sports a record of 5-6 this spring. The Indians took a 7-5 loss at Guilford on April 25 and then came back to rout Career at home by the score of 17-7 on April 27.
North Haven committed seven errors in its defeat at Guilford. It was a 2-2 ballgame before the host Indians scored five times in the bottom of the fourth inning. North Haven came back with two runs in the fifth inning, a run in the sixth, and had two runners aboard in the top of the seventh, but couldn’t complete the comeback and took a 7-5 defeat. Joe Balzano was North Haven’s starting pitcher and he allowed five runs in his 3.2 innings, although none of those runs were earned. Brendan Clark pitched to one batter, but had to leave the game after getting hit by a line drive. Griffin Bottomley worked the final 2.1 innings for North Haven, allowing one earned run. Mike DeRosa went 3-for-4 and scored a run, Dominic Onofrio had two hits with an RBI, and Giovanni Torres hit a double, scored a run, and drove home a run for North Haven.
“We just played like we were flat and we couldn’t catch the ball. When you make seven errors, you aren’t going to win,” Head Coach Bob DeMayo said. “It was very disappointing. For whatever reason, it just seemed like we couldn’t get the key hit at the right time and just played with a lack of intensity. We were just very flat.”
The Indians then made four errors in the Career contest, but they also pounded out 13 hits, including three home runs, which is the most for a single game in program history. DeRosa, Peyton Farina, and Joe Ireland were the three North Haven sluggers who hit one over the fence against the Panthers. North Haven scored a run in the first inning, two in the second, three in the third, five in the fourth, four in the fifth, and two in the sixth. DeRosa and Ireland both hit two-run shots to highlight that fifth inning. For Ireland, it was his second home run of the season. DeRosa also singled and scored two runs, Ireland scored three times, and Farina had two other hits with three runs scored and three RBI. Also bolstering North Haven’s offensive explosion were Torres with two doubles; Clark with a single, a double, two runs scored, and two RBI; Onofrio with two singles, a run, and a pair of RBI; plus Chris Tullo, who tripled. Preston Young pitched five innings for his first varsity win on the mound and Clark threw the last two to close it out.
“Well, it looked like they wanted to play. We had played five away games in a row and we knew our backs were against the wall, so everyone came out and played hard-nosed baseball. They were intense, loose, and it was just a situation where, once the damn broke, they got a lot of runs,” said DeMayo. “So, hopefully, the tide turns with the Career game and we can get some consistency and maybe pick up a few wins in a row.”
The Career victory put North Haven’s Oronoque record at 3-2 for the season. The defending division champions had a key game against Branford on May 2 (after press time). The Hornets entered the contest unbeaten in Oronoque play and defeated the Indians in the teams’ first meeting. North Haven had to win that game to have a chance to repeat as Oronoque champs and needed three more victories to qualify for states entering this week.
“We seem to be hitting the baseball, although we had many opportunities to put that Branford game away and that’s been a problem for us all year. Against Career, we nailed it and that’s what we’ve been trying to work on,” said DeMayo. “You get a few opportunities in a game to put the game away and we just seem to be wasting those opportunities. We did it against Career and we’re hoping that we can do it on [May 2 against Branford.].”
Softball
North Haven dropped two of its three games last week to stand at 5-6 for the season. On April 25, the Indians lost an SCC Oronoque game at East Haven by the final of 13-6. Two days later, they prevailed 11-0 in Branford to improve to 4-1 in division play. Sally Maher’s club then closed the week by taking an 11-0 loss at home to Cheshire on April 29.
The East Haven game tied was knotted a 5 before the Yellowjackets took advantage of three Indians’ errors to score four runs. East Haven added four more in the sixth to put the game out of reach. Olivia Peterson went 3-for-3 with two doubles and three RBI, while Laurissa Amaker homered and singled for the Indians. Lauren Card took the loss on the mound.
Against Branford, Card hurled a three-hitter in which she walked one and struck out six for her second win of the year as North Haven blanked the Hornets. The Indians did make four errors and they also left 12 runners on base, but they also received big-time offensive contributions from Jill Oestreicher, who homered and had four RBI; as well as Card and DelVecchio, who both hit a double and had two RBI.
In the Cheshire game, Ava Mattei pitched six innings and Card worked the seventh. Mattei broke up the Rams’ no-hitter in fifth and Amaker had North Haven’s other hit in the seventh.
Boys’ Outdoor Track
North Haven remained undefeated and improved its record to 9-0 by recording three more victories last week. First, the Indians won two at a tri-meet at Hand by defeating Hand 76-74 and Career 139-7 on April 27. The Career win put North Haven’s record at 3-0 in the Oronoque Division. Then on April 29, Steve Celmer’s squad prevailed at Sheehan 97-53.
For the meet against Hand and Career, capturing first place against both opponents for the Indians were Emadi Okwuosa in the 100-meter dash with a time of 11.3 seconds, the 200 at 23.4, and the triple jump with a leap of 39 feet-9.5 inches; Shane O’Connor in the discus with a throw of 132 feet-8.75 inches, the high jump with a height of 5-8, and the shot put at 49-0.75; Ryan Brennan in the 800-meter run at 2:02.7 and the 1,600 in 4:35.1; Omar Gebril in the 400 in 50.3 seconds; and Anthony Valentino in the javelin with a 159-8.75. All three of North Haven’s relays also crossed the finish line in first place. The 4x100 of Brian Daly, Nick Saracco, Dom Scarano, and Ryan Harvey ran a time of 47.7 seconds; the 4x400 of Michael Greene, Raj Moore, Saracco, and Harvey went a 4:25; and the 4x800 of Jack Opramolla, Jackson Frank, Jobin Valiyaveettil, and Alex Savenelli posted a mark of 2:44.4.
Girls’ Outdoor Track
North Haven competed in a tri-meet in Madison and emerged with two victories on April 28. The Indians edged out the host Tigers by the final of 76-74 and they also routed Oronoque opponent Career 142-4 to improve to 3-0 in the division.
Golf
North Haven is now 3-4 after losing a pair of matches last week. The Indians opened the week against East Haven at Alling Memorial Golf Club and were edged 212-214 by the Yellowjackets on April 25. Then on April 28, North Haven hosted Branford at Wallingford Country Club and lost 181-222.
Boys’ Tennis
The Indians took two defeats in their three contests and are now 4-5 in the 2016 season. First, on April 25, North Haven took a 7-0 loss to Fairfield Prep at Fairfield University. Then on April 27, North Haven had a home match versus Amity and lost 6-1. The Indians bounced back the following afternoon by posting a 5-2 home win over Law.
Girls’ Tennis
The Indians improved to 7-3 this spring by netting victories in three of their four matches last week. North Haven won 5-2 at home against Mercy, earned a 5-2 victory at Hamden, took a 6-1 loss at Lauralton Hall, and posted a 5-2 home triumph over Nonnewaug.
Against Mercy on April 25, Julia Migliorini won 6-0, 6-0 at No. 1 singles; Olivia Hoyt prevailed 6-0, 6-0 at No. 2; Hillary Hoyt was a 6-1, 6-1 victor at No. 3; and Rachel Petry won 6-1, 6-1 at the No. 4 spot. In doubles, the Indians’ No. 1 pairing of Julia Gill and Sejal Atluru recorded a 7-5, 6-4 victory.
Playing Hamden two days later, Migliorini won 6-4, 6-1 and Hillary Hoyt won by the score of 6-3, 6-4. Migliorini’s win came against Vidhya Maran, who was an All-State player last year. North Haven swept the doubles matches as Gill and Atluru won 6-2, 6-0; Sophie Bates and Nina Padro won 6-3, 6-2 at the No. 2 slot; and Amber Jean-Guillaume and Avery Hill rallied for a 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 victory at No. 3.
Facing Lauralton Hall at Eisenhower Park in Milford the following day, North Haven’s lone win came from Migliorini, who defeated another reigning All-State player in Shelby Vertula by the score of 6-3, 6-2.
The Indians then wrapped up the week with a home duel versus Nonnewaug on April 29 and were led by singles wins from Migliorini (6-0, 6-0); Olivia Hoyt (6-1, 6-2); and Hillary Hoyt (6-0, 6-2); as well as doubles victories from the duos of Gill and Atluru (6-2, 6-7, 6-2); plus Bates and Padro (6-4, 6-3).
Boys’ Lacrosse
North Haven had two home contests last week and split them to own a record of 5-4 this year. The Indians took a 9-8 overtime loss to Conard on April 27 and then came back to beat Masuk 11-4 on April 30.
Against Conard, North Haven held a 7-4 lead entering the fourth quarter before the opposition scored four times in the final frame and then won it with a goal in overtime. PJ Saracino, Zach Orth, Christian DeRubeis, and Max Sullivan all scored two goals apiece for the Indians, who also received three assists from Bowen Brennan.
Three days later, North Haven put 46 shots on net to Masuk’s 18 and came away with an 11-4 victory. Head Coach Eric Bailey’s squad was up 4-3 at halftime and then outscored Masuk 7-1 in the second half en route to the lopsided win. DeRubeis netted four goals and had an assist, Brennan scored three goals and handed out a helper, Nick Campanelli had two assists; Saracino, Orth, Shamus Meehan, and Jeremy Imperati each scored a goal; and Jason St. Peter had an assist for the Indians.
Girls’ Lacrosse
After dropping a 15-7 contest at Lauralton Hall on April 26, the Indians came back to beat Amity 11-10 at home on April 28 and then won at Ledyard 11-7 on April 30. Head Coach Lois Frankforter’s squad is now 7-2 on the season.
North Haven trailed Amity 6-5 at halftime before outscoring the Spartans 6-4 in the latter stanza to emerge with the one-goal win. Kylie Brandt led the offense by recording five goals with an assist, while Annie Uyeki had two goals and one assist for North Haven. Mandy Brock and Morgan Heyl each contributed a goal with an assist; Erica Salvo and Haley Murray both scored goals; and Catherine Babbidge, Clara Pellegrino, and Samantha Kwieraga all had an assist. North Haven outshot Amity 20-17 and Samantha Langner made seven saves in net.
In its third game of the week, North Haven outscored Ledyard 7-3 in the first half and went on to get the win. Brandt had another big game with three goals and three assists and Brock also scored three goals for North Haven. Salvo and Uyeki both scored twice, Kwieraga had a goal and an assist, and Pellegrino added an assist. Langner made 11 saves for the Indians, who outshot Ledyard 20-18.