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05/14/2017 12:00 AMBaseball
The Tigers’ baseball squad improved to 11-7 overall and finished at 5-3 in the SCC Hammonasset Division following a pair of recent victories, including a monumental one against a state power last week.
Hand began the week with a big 4-3 win over four-time defending Class LL state champion Amity on May 8, dealing the Spartans their first loss of 2017, while ending their 28-game winning streak. Amity was ranked No. 1 in The GameTimeCT/Register Top 10 Baseball Poll at the time of the defeat. The Tigers’ Cam Fitzgerald hit the go-ahead home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to give Hand a 4-3 lead. Julian Banerji hit a two-run homer and Robert Bordiere had an RBI double for Hand. Kyle Schaefer pitched a complete game and had seven strikeouts as he picked up his fifth win of the year.
Amity took a 1-0 lead in the second on a two-out RBI single by Alec Smith. Eddie Sweeney led off the bottom of the inning with a single, and Hand tied the game at 1 on an RBI double off the wall by Bordiere that scored Sweeney. In the third, Banerji crushed a two-run homer to right-center field that scored Fitzgerald and gave Hand a 3-1 lead. Amity scored single runs in the fourth and fifth innings to tie the score at 3-3. In the bottom of the sixth, Fitzgerald blasted a home run over the left field fence to give Hand a 4-3 advantage. Schaefer retired the side in the seventh to secure the victory for the Tigers. Schaefer recorded seven strikeouts in his complete game performance.
“This was a signature win for our program. Amity is the best team in Connecticut and has been for years. Every time we play them, we go toe to toe with them and cannot finish them off, but this time, we were able to finish strong,” said Head Coach Travis LaPointe. “Earlier in the season, we took a 3-1 lead into the seventh, but they came from behind to win the game, so it was really important for us to erase that memory today. Cam Fitzgerald and Julian Banerji came up with clutch power swings in big spots and really jolted the team and got us the momentum we needed. Kyle Schaefer pitched an incredible game and made some tough, high stress pitches in big situations. He is the ace of our staff and proves it every time he takes the mound. He is at his best when all the pressure is on.”
Hand then lost 4-3 versus Sheehan on May 10. EJ Mastronardi had two hits and a run scored, Fitzgerald had two hits, including a double and a run scored; Bordiere had a two-RBI double, and Mike Elias had a sacrifice fly. Sheehan jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of first inning. After a leadoff double by Fitzgerald and a bunt single by James DeGrasse in the second, Elias hit a sacrifice fly to score Fitzgerald. In the third, Mastronardi led off with a single and Tom Hobin doubled before Fitzgerald was intentionally walked to load the bases with two outs. Bordiere delivered a clutch two-out, two-RBI double to give Hand a 3-1 lead. Although the Tigers threatened in nearly every inning, those were the last runs that they scored. Sheehan used a three-run sixth inning to go ahead 4-3. Hand outhit the Titans 11-4. Coach LaPointe said that Ryan McAnenay pitched “an incredible game,” and he also complimented his defense for its outstanding play.
Hand closed out Hammonasset Division play with a 19-2 rout of Career on May 12.
Softball
Hand took three of its four games last week to net an overall mark of 11-5 with a record of 5-0 in the SCC Quinnipiac Division. The Tigers again saw another one of their players reach a career milestone along the way as pitcher Abby Geshwind recorded her 100th strikeout of the season.
Hand earned a 5-0 shutout of West Haven on May 8. The Tigers then lost by a 4-0 final versus Amity on May 9. Hand blanked Branford 12-0 for a divisional win on May 10 before recording a 6-5, nine-inning triumph over Sheehan on May 12.
Against West Haven, Abby Geshwind pitched the shutout with a personal-best 16-strikeout performance that included her 100th strikeout on the year. She also had two singles and an RBI. In the top of the first, leadoff batter Hollis Wivell singled, was moved over by Sophie Schreck, and scored on a throwing error. Lily Geshwind drew a walk and scored on an Abby Geshwind single. Lily Geshwind scored again in the third after reaching on a walk and stealing a base. Christina Coric doubled in the fifth to score Caroline O’Connor, who had reached on a full-count walk. Lily Geshwind’s two-out single hit in Sophie Schreck for the final run.
Facing Amity, Abby Geshwind had two singles, along with one each by Wivell, Caroline Schreck, Kaitlyn Martin, Sophie Schreck, and Coric. Abby Geshwind gave up six hits with one walk with five strikeouts. It was a 0-0 game until a solo home run in the fourth put Amity on the board. The Tigers made three errors in the fifth inning, letting in two more runs. A final Amity run was scored in the sixth on a double and single.
In the Branford victory, Abby Geshwind added six more strikeouts to her tally in the two-hit shutout. Fifteen Tigers contributed either a hit, run, or an RBI. Extra-base hits were led by two doubles from Hannah Martin (2 RBI on the day), with additional doubles by Gina Ciotti (5 RBI), Caroline Schreck (3 RBI), Lily Geshwind, and Abby Murphy (1 RBI). Kelly Cody, Lily Arida, Pamela Engelhart, and Taylor Leckey all went 1-for-1 and Wivell had an RBI.
Against Sheehan, Abby Geshwind had 12 strikeouts and allowed just three hits. Hollis Wivell, Sophie Schreck, and Lily Geshwind (2 RBI) each went 3-for-5. Sophie Schreck’s hot bat brought in three RBI, including the winning run from Wivell, on two triples and a double. Hannah and Kaitlyn Martin each contributed a single and Abby Geshwind had a double and an RBI. The game started with a 1-0 Tigers’ lead when Sophie Schreck ripped a deep hit to left center and scored on a line-drive single to left field by Lily Geshwind. Sheehan answered in the bottom of the first with two runs. In the third, Wivell bunted and scored on a Lily Geshwind infield single to tie the game at 2. The Titans went ahead by one in the bottom of the inning on two Hand errors, but the Tigers put up three runs in the fifth when Gina Ciotti reached on an error by the pitcher. Wivell again bunted for a single, and she then advanced to second with Ciotti going to third on an error. Sophie Schreck’s second triple of the day scored both runners. An Abby Geshwind hit scored Sophie Schreck to put the Tigers up 5-3. In the sixth, Sheehan scored twice to tie the game at 5. Neither team allowed any runs in the seventh and eight innings, but the Tigers rallied with two outs in the top of the ninth. Wivell reached on a bunt, stole second, and scored the go-ahead run on a Sophie Schreck line-drive double to left-center field. The Hand defense then retired the Sheehan side with two strikeouts and a fly out to shortstop to seal the victory.
Boys’ Tennis
The Tigers went 4-for-4 on the week and are now a perfect 14-0 this year. Hand swept West Haven 7-0 on May 8, took down Guilford 6-1 the next day, posted a 7-0 sweep of Cheshire on May 10, and then beat Fairfield Prep 5-2 on May 12.
Singles players Kyle Fay, Justin Pace, Noah Gulla, and Max Thompson, along with the tandems of Robbie Israel and Alex Bueno, Sam Thorpe and Nick Chieppo, plus Darby Rogers and James Watkins are aiming to go into the SCC Division I Tournament undefeated as Hand embarks on the final week of the regular season.
Girls’ Tennis
Hand now stands at 14-0 after posting a trio of victories last week. The Tigers shut out Hamden 7-0 on May 8, defeated Sheehan 6-1 on May 10, and then swept Branford 7-0 on May 11.
On the week, multiple wins were earned by Lee Jiaen, Ellie Weinstein, Annie Barrett, and Clare Nelson in singles play. Multiple doubles decisions were notched by the teams of Anna Lang and Sam Riordan, Renee Tracy and Grace Squitiero, and Nicki Goldfeder with Nell Karas and Jennie Burris.
Boys’ Lacrosse
Hand is now 9-5 after splitting a pair of big-time SCC matchups.
The Tigers notched a 7-5 win over Notre Dame-West Haven on May 8. Liam Gottlick had a pair of goals, while also scoring goals were Tom Swank, Teg Cosgriff, Nate Palumbo, Zach Santoemma, and John Ruggerio. Santoemma also recorded an assist. Hand outshot the Green Knights 28-23, and Griffin Fitzmaurice made 10 saves in net.
Hand then lost by a 7-4 final against North Haven on May 10.
Boys’ Outdoor Track
The Tigers hosted Hillhouse last week and recorded another triumph on their dual-meet campaign. Hand defeated Hillhouse 118-32 on May 9 to run its mark to a perfect 10-0.
Girls’ Outdoor Track
Hand notched a home victory against Hillhouse this past week. The Tigers defeated Hillhouse by a 78-58 score on May 9.
Girls’ Golf
The Tigers are now 4-5 after taking two of their three matches this past week.
The Tigers first defeated Suffield 198-246 on May 8. Gabby Martin medaled with a 39, and following her were Emma Boey (51), Josie Anderson (54), Angie Balzano (54), and Morgan Lipford (60).
Hand then took a 189-198 defeat to Amity on May 9. Martin shared medalist honors with a 43, and she was joined on the course by Boey (47), Balzano (52), Anderson (56), and Lipford (65).
The Tigers closed their week by defeating Sacred Heart Academy 194-206 on May 10. Martin shot a 37 to earn match medalist honors, and also competing for Hand were Boey (48), Balzano (54), Anderson (55), and Lipford (57).
Boys’ Golf
Hand is now 3-7 after grabbing one victory in its three matches last week.
Hand first took a 161-187 loss to Amity on May 8. Matt Pellatt shot a 43 for the Tigers.
The Tigers bounced back 24 hours later with a 189-193 win over Morgan. Pellatt again shot a 43.
Hand then took a 161-190 defeat to those same Spartans on May 11. Aidan Stuart and Carter Chapman both scored a 46 to lead Hand.
Boys’ Volleyball
The Tigers notched a non-conference victory last week to improve to 3-11.
The Tigers first took a 3-0 loss to Cheshire on May 8. Hand next lost by a 3-1 final against Amity on May 10, but the Tigers came back to notch a 3-1 win over Wolcott Tech on May 11. Hand finished the week with a 3-0 loss to Oxford on May 12.