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09/25/2016 12:00 AM

North Haven U-18 Fall Ball Team Now 8-0; U-16 Squad Wins Two


Griffin Bottomley had a walk-off hit when North Haven’s U-18 fall baseball team beat Wallingford Diamond Zone and then pitched five hitless innings in a victory versus Amity.Photo courtesy of Kathy and Colleen Lucey

U-18 Fall Baseball

The North Haven U-18 fall baseball squad kept the good times rolling last week by notching two victories to improve to 8-0 this year. The team’s first game was at home against Wallingford Diamond Zone on Sept. 24 and North Haven pulled off a 2-1 victory in 11 innings. The following day, North Haven hosted Amity and prevailed 5-1.

Against Wallingford, North Haven allowed a run in the first inning and came back to tie it in the fourth. The game stayed tied at 1 until the 11th inning, when North Haven pushed one across for the walk-off win. Dom Onofrio singled to start off the inning, advanced to third on Brendan Clark’s single, and scored on a base hit by Griffin Bottomley.

Preston Young started for North Haven and gave up just one run in five innings. Mark Tantorski threw two scoreless innings and Clark picked up the win by tossing four scoreless frames in which he struck out seven. Clark also went 3-for-5 with a double and a run scored, while Bottomley was 2-for-4 with two RBI, Jake Bencivengo went 3-for-4 with a double and a stolen base, and Kevin Lucey drew two walks.

In the 5-1 win versus Amity, Bottomley was the winning pitcher by throwing five hitless innings, after which Alec Butler closed it out by working the final two. At the plate, Peyton Farina was 2-for-3 with a walk, Bottomley had another big day by going 3-for-3 with a double and a run scored, Lucey tripled and had two RBI, Andrew Laudano singled, walked, and had a RBI; and Matt Iovanne had a single with a walk and a run scored.

U-16 Fall Baseball

North Haven’s U-16 fall ball team played three games last weekend and came away with a pair of victories. North Haven faced the Connecticut Mayhem in a doubleheader on Sept. 24, winning the first game 17-7 and losing the second 3-1. On Sept. 25, hosted DBI and won by the final of 5-2.

In the blowout over the Mayhem, North Haven scored five runs in the first inning, four in the second, and tput it away by plating seven runs in the fourth inning. Numerous players had huge offensive days in the victory. Colby Cusano was 2-for-4 with a walk, four runs scored, and three RBI; Danny Cannavaciolo went 2-for-3 with a double, three runs scored, and a RBI; Nate Zalegowski singled with two runs scored and four RBI; Leo Konopka was 2-for-3 with a triple, stolen base, a run, and a RBI; and Connor Dwyer went 2-for-3 with a run scored and a RBI. Zalegowski pitched four innings for the win and Nick Rossi pitched the final inning before the game was called.

In the nightcap, the Mayhem scored three runs in the first inning en route to the 3-1 win. Jayden Flores started and threw four innings and Rossi pitched two scoreless frames. Konopka went 2-for-3 with a RBI and a stolen base.

The next day, North Haven defeated DBI 5-2 for its second win of the week. North Haven scored four runs in the second inning and that proved the difference in the victory. Nathan Friess allowed two unearned runs in 4.2 innings for the win. Zack Pincince threw 1.2 scoreless innings and Rossi worked a clean seventh for the save. Pincince also came through at the dish by going 3-for-3 with a triple, plus a run scored and a RBI. Dwyer singled, walked, scored a run, and drove home a pair for North Haven.