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07/17/2016 12:00 AMJunior American Legion Baseball
After struggling through the past few campaigns, the North Haven Junior Legion baseball team turned things around this summer and qualified for the State Tournament by posting a record of 14-10 in Zone 2 games. Overall, North Haven went 16-10 for the regular season. Post 76 opens play in the double elimination State Tournament on Monday, July 18. North Haven is the No. 9 seed in the Southern Division portion of the bracket and will play at No. 8 Danbury (12-8) in its opening contest.
Most recently, North Haven recorded an 8-3 victory at New Haven on July 10, beat Milford 5-4 at home the next day, and then blew out New Haven 13-0 at home on July 12 to clinch its spot in states. After that, Post 76 took a 6-3 loss in Branford on July 13 and routed Branford 9-1 in the regular season finale two days later.
Against New Haven, Post 76 scored all eight of its runs in the first inning on its way to the lopsided victory. Nick Perillie threw a complete game in which he allowed just one earned run on four hits and a walk with seven strikeouts. Perillie also had a pair of hits with a walk, a run scored, and a RBI. Christian Somma had two hits, drew a walk, stole a base, scored a run, and drove in a run. Additionally, Colby Cusano doubled, walked, scored a run, and had two RBI; Mike Salzano had two hits with a run and a RBI; Jake Tantorski had a hit, scored a run, and drove home a run; Jake Bencivengo walked, stole a base, and scored; Matt Iovanne walked and scored; and CJ DeBridgita drove in a run.
In the Milford victory, North Haven trailed 3-0 before scoring five runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Milford cut it to 5-4 in the seventh, but Post 76 held on for the win. Luca Lawrence was the winning pitcher by allowing four runs (3 earned) in 6.1 innings. DeBridgita retired the final two batters to pick up the save. On offense, Steven Erbe had a big day by getting a single, a double, scoring a run, and driving in two runs. Leo Konopka contributed by drawing three walks, stealing a base, and scoring a run. Iovanne walked twice, swiped a base, and scored a run; Lawrence had a hit with a run scored, a RBI, and a stolen base; Cusano walked and scored; and Somma hit a double.
North Haven had nine hits and drew nine walks in the states-clinching victory versus New Haven. Post 76 led 5-0 after two innings and put the game away by plating seven in the third. The game was called after five innings due to the mercy rule. Bencivengo allowed four hits through four scoreless innings for the win and Iovanne pitched a hitless fifth to close out the 13-0 triumph. Perillie tore it up at the dish by going 4-for-4, including a double, with two runs scored and four RBI. Ryan Sullivan doubled, scored a run, and had three RBI. Somma singled, walked twice, scored three runs, and drove home a run. Cusano drew two walks, scored two runs, and had a RBI. Additionally, Tantorski singled, walked, and scored twice; Konopka singled, walked, and scored one run; Salzano had a single and a RBI; and Bencivengo and DeBridgita both walked and scored a run to spur North Haven’s outburst.
In the 6-3 Branford loss, North Haven trailed 6-0 after allowing four runs in the fourth inning and couldn’t recover. DeBridgita was the losing pitcher by giving up five runs (2 earned) in 3.2 innings, after which Iovanne worked two scoreless frames. Tom Myjak singled, walked, and scored a run; Luca Lawrence walked twice and scored one run, Tantorski singled with a RBI, Salzano scored a run, and Somma drove in a run.
In the regular season finale, Perrillie earned the win by allowing one run in five innings. Lawrence and Myjak followed with a scoreless frame apiece for North Haven, which scored three runs in the third and five in the fourth en route to the 9-1 win. Erbe went 2-for-3 with a triple, two runs scored, and four RBI. Myjak was 2-for-2 with a walk, a stolen base, and two runs. Sullivan drew three walks and hit a double/ Additionally, Cusano tripled, scored a run and had two RBI; Justin Shea singled and had a pair of RBI; Somma had a hit, a walk, scored a run, and drove in a run; DeBridgita walked and scored; and Bencivengo and Iovanne also scored for Post 76.
Senior American Legion Baseball
The Post 76 Senior Legion baseball team had a chance to qualify for the State Tournament entering the last week of the regular season, but took three defeats and was eliminated from contention. North Haven finished the campaign with a record of 12-15 in Zone 2 and an overall mark of 13-16.
North Haven started by dropping an 8-2 home decision to Orange on July 11. Post 76 then took a 1-0 loss in West Haven on July 12 that knocked the squad out of the playoff mix, after which North Haven lost an 8-7 home decision to West Haven the next day. North Haven finished the season by winning at West Haven, 4-1, on July 14.
In the Orange game, Post 76 held a 2-0 lead through two innings, but Orange scored two in the third and three in the fifth and went on to the 8-2 win. Trevor MacDonnell started and took the loss by allowing five runs (4 earned) in four innings. Tom Myjak gave up three runs in an inning, after which Dom Fusco and Hunter Iacobelli each pitched a scoreless inning. On offense, Dom Onofrio had three singles, scored a run, and stole a base; Fusco and Peyton Farina both doubled and drove in a run; Mike Kurk also doubled; and Kevin Lucey had a single, a walk, and a run scored.
“We came out aggressive. We had the lead and had opportunities to get Orange out of the game and we made mistakes, did not execute on defense, and let Orange back in the game and, eventually, lost control of the game,” Head Coach Charlie Flanagan said. “Disappointing loss, especially with the importance this game meant to our push for the playoffs. We will have to sweep West Haven and get help from some other teams.”
Post 76 couldn’t sweep West Haven, however, as Flanagan’s club was shut out on the road, 1-0, the following day. West Haven scored the game’s lone run in the third inning. Mark Tantorski took a tough loss by allowing one run in 5.1 innings. Fusco retired two batters for Post 76. North Haven’s offense was limited to a pair of singles from Kurk, a single and a walk from Stevens, plus a walk and a stolen base by Lucey.
“This was the worst game we played all season. With all that was at stake, we came out flat, were not disciplined at the plate, and put absolutely zero pressure on the opposition,” said Flanagan. “This game was a very sad commentary on where I thought we were and what I expected, knowing the magnitude of the game. Very frustrating outcome.”
Then on July 13, Post 76 hosted West Haven and dropped another one-run decision, 8-7. North Haven brought a 4-3 lead to the fifth inning, although West Haven scored two in the fifth and three in the sixth to take an 8-4 advantage. Post 76 rallied with a run in the sixth and two in the seventh, but the comeback came up a run short. Preston Young took the loss by allowing five runs (3 earned) in 4.1 innings. Kurk gave up three in 1.2 innings and Alphonse Fusco pitched a scoreless seventh. North Haven’s offense produced 16 hits. Lucey went 4-for-4 with two doubles and two runs scored; while Stevens was 3-for-4 with a walk, a run scored, three RBI, and a stolen base. Onofrio singled twice and scored a run; Dom Fusco tripled and had two RBI; Alphonse Fusco singled twice, scored a run, and drove in a run; Craig Somma singled, walked, stole a base, and scored a run; Iacobelli singled with a RBI and also had a steal; and Farina singled and scored a run.
“We came back twice, but could not finish. Tough way to end the season, especially since I thought we could play our way back and make the tournament,” said Flanagan. “Kevin Lucey had a great game at the plate with four solid hits.”
In the season-ending win at West Haven, Trevor MacDonnell earned the victory by allowing just one run on four hits in six innings. Dom Fusco tossed a hitless seventh to get the save. Fusco also contributed at the plate by walking twice, scoring two runs, and swiping two bases. Somma went 2-for-3 with a walk and a run, Farina was 2-for-3 with two RBI, Stevens singled with a RBI and a stolen base, and Onofrio singled and scored.
“We played better, however, a little too late. We needed to sweep West Haven to have a chance to qualify for the State Tournament. We should have, but did not,” Coach Flanagan said. “Craig Somma and Peyton Farina each hit the ball well. Peyton had a two-run single that plated the game-winning run. Trevor pitched well for the win. With Legion baseball you have to come to play every game or you will get beat. I wish we had a few mulligans with previous games.”
Prep American Legion Baseball
The North Haven Prep American Legion baseball team is comprised of 14- and 15-year-olds this summer, but Post 76 is holding its own while facing clubs that mostly feature 16-year-olds, and Head Coach Jake DeRosa’s club owns a .500 record in divisional play.
“We are playing some of the top AAU teams in the state and our team is in every game,” DeRosa said.
Outstanding pitching performances from Ryan Sullivan, Zach Pininces, and Joe Persinini have propelled Post 76 over its most-formidable opponents. After battling a shoulder injury early in the season, Persinini’s first game back came in relief against the Connecticut Wolfpack. Starter Nick Rossi went the first three innings and held the Wolfpack to three runs. Persinini came in and shut the door by only allowing two runs through four innings and his performance was a crucial factor in North Haven winning that game. Timely hitting from Tony Lewis, Colby Cusano, Sullivan, and Dan Canavaciaola also propelled North Haven to victory. Sullivan finished the day 3-for-3 with two triples and a double. In the final inning, with two outs and the tying run on third, Canavaciola came up with the play of game by making a glove-side dive on the infield for the final out.
North Haven’s most-recent win came against the Technique Tigers. Starting pitcher Pininces threw a five-inning shutout, allowing just two hits. Matt DeRosa made several exceptional plays at shortstop when the Tigers had runners in scoring position. Jason Landino and Canavaciola had key hits and a pair of RBI to give North Haven the insurance runs needed to seal the win.
“This was a big game for us. We were coming off a few tough losses and needed to get our confidence back. Every time Pininces is on the mound, it’s going to be a good game. He takes command out there and gives you his very best,” Coach DeRosa said. “Overall, the team is playing well. The biggest thing I keep stressing with this team is to play with confidence. When these guys come out playing with confidence we win ballgames; plain and simple.”