Printer Friendly Version - North Haven Baseball Takes Two of Three to Start Season; Boys’ Lacrosse Opens 4-0

Sophomore Matt DeRosa celebrates at second base after hitting a double that gave the North Haven baseball team a 4-3 win versus Notre Dame-West Haven on April 5. The Indians went on to defeat Fairfield Warde 13-3 to improve to 2-1 on the young season. Photo by Kelley Fryer/The Courier

The North Haven baseball team began the 2018 season by winning two of its first three contests to open the year with a record of 2-1. The Indians took a 2-0 loss at Jonathan Law in their season opener, but bounced back to notch a 4-3 victory against Notre Dame-West Haven and a 13-3 win versus Fairfield Warde.

North Haven began the year with a game at Law and dropped a 2-0 decision on March 31. Law scored a run in the third inning and then added another in fifth on its way to the win. Starting pitcher Chris Ciarleglio allowed one unearned run in two innings pitched, after which fellow senior Luca Lawrence gave up one run in four innings. Sophomore Dave Christoforo doubled for North Haven’s only hit.

Then on April 5, the Indians hosted Notre Dame-West Haven at DeMayo Ballfield and edged out the Green Knights 4-3. Notre Dame scored two runs in the top of the first inning, but North Haven came right back to tie the game with a pair of runs in the bottom half. Notre Dame went up 3-2 in the third, and then the Indians scored a run in the fourth to make it 3-3. In the bottom of the sixth, Christoforo led off with a walk and then senior pinch runner Christian Somma advanced to second on a wild pitch. With two outs, sophomore Matt DeRosa clubbed a double that sent home Somma with the go-ahead run. Notre Dame got a runner on via a double in the seventh, but Lawrence retired the last batter on a groundout to preserve the 4-3 victory.

Ciarleglio gave up three runs (1 earned) in 2.2 innings, and Lawrence picked up the win by tossing 4.1 scoreless innings of relief. DeRosa doubled twice and had two RBI in the victory. Senior Steven Erbe singled with a RBI and a run scored, fellow senior Kevin Lucey singled, walked, had a RBI, and scored two runs; junior Matt Solomon doubled and walked, and senior Peyton Farina scored a run and stole a base for Head Coach Bob DeMayo’s squad.

Two days later, the Indians hosted Fairfield Ludlowe and scored a 13-3 victory in a non-conference contest. North Haven led 5-3 entering the bottom of the sixth inning, when the Indians exploded for seven runs to call the new mercy rule into effect. Lucey went 2-for-4 with a double and three RBI, DeRosa was 3-for-4 with a RBI, Erbe went 2-for-3 with a double, two runs scored, and three RBI; and senior Andrew Laudano went 2-for-4 with three runs scored, a walk, and a RBI. Lucey, Erbe, and Laudano each stole a base, as did Solomon, who also scored two runs and drew a walk. Farina drew two walks, scored two runs, and added a RBI in the blowout.

Senior Zach Pincince started on the mound and got the win by allowing two runs in 3.1 innings. Fellow senior Nate Zalegowski gave up a run in one inning of relief, after which Ciarleglio pitched 1.2 scoreless innings.

The Indians’ softball squad has a new head coach this year as former varsity assistant and JV Head Coach Karen Castagnola replaces longtime head coach Sally Maher. The Indians gave Castagnola a victory in her first game by posting a 22-0 home shutout over Branford on April 5.

Junior Lauren Card earned the win on the mound, and sophomore Eryn Sheeley closed out the victory for North Haven. Junior Sarah Lombardi hit a grand slam, Olivia Petersen launched a two-run homer, and fellow junior Peyton Davis went 3-for-4 with a double for North Haven in the win.

Two days later, the Indians had a home game against Amity and took a 9-2 defeat.

North Haven had a great season last spring that saw the Indians go 20-5, win the SCC Oronoque Division title, advance to the SCC Tournament semifinals, and then reach the quarterfinals of the Class L State Tournament.

North Haven kicked off the 2018 campaign in triumphant fashion as the Indians claimed victory in their first four games of the campaign. North Haven defeated Pomperaug (15-3), Southington (11-3), Lyman Hall (13-2), and East Lyme (11-10) to start the year with a record of 4-0.

The Indians hosted non-conference squad Pomperaug for their first game on the new turf field at North Haven Middle School and prevailed 15-3 on March 31. Senior Zack Orth scored five goals to go with four assists, while freshman Kasey Mongillo had four goals and four assists in the rout. Junior Jack Broggi scored three goals, Brian Mills had a goal with three assists, fellow sophomore Donny McInnis had a goal with an assist, and senior Kyle Pearson contributed two assists. Senior goalie Lou Coppola made nine saves in net to earn the win for Head Coach Eric Bailey’s squad.

On April 3, North Haven was on the road to face Southington for another non-conference duel and defeated the Blue Knights 11-3. Orth won 13 o the 16 face-offs and also scored a goal to lead the Indians to another lopsided victory. Mongillo scored three goals and dished off three assists, Broggi had three goals with an assist, and Pearson scored a pair of goals in the win. Senior Mark Montano, senior Alan Tancreti, and Mills each added a goal for North Haven, which received 10 saves from Coppola.

The following afternoon, the Indians had a road game versus SCC foe Lyman Hall and won a 13-2 decision over the Trojans for their third victory in as many games to start the season.

Then on April 7, North Haven hit the road to face East Lyme for a non-conference contest and prevailed 11-10 against the Vikings.

Last year, North Haven went 15-4 and advanced to the semifinals of the Class M State Tournament.

The Indians had a road game against Hand in their first game of the 2018 season and took a 16-1 defeat against the Tigers at the Surf Club in Madison. Lois Frankforter is back for another season as head coach for North Haven, which went 9-7 and qualified for the Class M State Tournament for the third straight year last spring.

North Haven opened up the 2018 season by sweeping a home tri-meet against Foran and Career at Vanacore Field on April 5. The Indians defeated Foran 87-63 and posted a 140-9 victory versus Oronoque Division opponent Career in the meet. North Haven begins another season with Head Coach Steve Celmer after winning the Oronoque Division title last year.

Junior Ethan Okwuosa had a monster meet by winning three events for the Indians. Okwuosa finished first in the high jump by clearing 5 feet-8 inches to go along with victories in the long jump (17-11) and triple jump (39-11.5). Junior Robert Farley won both the 110 high hurdles (17.5 seconds) and the 300 intermediate hurdles (48.2) for North Haven in the sweep.

Additionally for the Indians, senior Eric Milliard won the shot put (44-10), sophomore Kyle Maruca took first in the discus (134-10), Jeff Williston won the javelin (121-4), and junior Jacob Wrum finished first in the 400 with a time of 58.6 seconds. Also, the Indians’ 4x800 relay of senior Corey Reilly, freshman Nick Howlett, sophomore Aidan Bergin, and junior Jobin Viliyaveettil came in first place behind a time of 9:53.6.

The Indians were scheduled to begin their year by facing Career and Hamden in a tri-meet at Bowen Field on April 3, but the meet was postponed due to inclement weather. As a result, North Haven will open the campaign with a meet in Branford at 3:45 p.m. on Monday, April 9. The contest against Career and Hamden will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 14.

Last year, Head Coach Carl Jackson’s squad finished with a record of 11-2 and went 4-0 in the Oronoque Division to win the division title.

North Haven came away with a split of two matches in first week of the season. The Indians dropped a 5-2 decision versus Mercy, before posting a 6-1 win over Hamden.

Head Coach Bob Migliorini’s club started the year by taking a 5-2 road loss to Mercy at the Tennis and Fitness Center of Rocky Hill on April 4.

The next day, the Indians hosted Hamden at the North Haven Athletic Complex and prevailed 6-1. Junior Julia Migliorini recorded a 6-0, 6-0 win at No. 1 singles; senior Rachel Petry netted a 6-2, 6-3 victory at No. 2 singles; and senior Avery Hill won a 6-3, 6-2 decision at the No. 4 singles spot for the Indians. In doubles play, North Haven’s No. 1 team of senior Katrina Nadolny and sophomore Kara Stevens won 6-0, 6-2; the No. 2 tandem of juniors Zoe Bowerman and Jessica Tran prevailed 6-1, 6-1; and the No. 3 team of sophomore Claire Looney and senior Julia Loda won 6-0, 6-0.

In the 2017 season, North Haven finished with an overall record of 18-5 and qualified for both the SCC and Class M State tournaments, advancing to the semifinals of the SCC tourney.

North Haven saw its first two scheduled contests of the season get postponed due to inclement weather last week. The Indians were supposed to play Xavier on April 2 and Foran on April 4, but snow postponed the first match, and then rain postponed the team’s contest against Foran. North Haven will begin its season with a match at East Haven at 3:45 p.m. on Tuesday, April 10.

Head Coach Don Hurley’s team is coming off a campaign that saw the Indians go 10-7 to qualify for the Class L State Championship for the fourth year in a row.

The Indians opened up the 2018 season by facing Norwalk last week. The Indians took a 199-212 defeat against Norwalk at Oak Hills Golf Course on April 6.

North Haven is entering its third year with Head Coach Daria Cummings after going 6-9-1 for the regular season and then placing 20th in the Division II State Championship last spring.

Senior Zach Orth and the Indians’ boys’ lacrosse squad are red hot to start the 2018 spring season, having claimed victory in their first four games of the campaign. Photo by Kelley Fryer/The Courier