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04/15/2018 12:00 AMSoftball
The North Branford softball team is red hot to start the 2018 season the Thunderbirds have raced out to a 6-0 record and they’re games haven’t even been close. Last week, North Branford put five wins in the books, while outscoring its opponents 62-1.
On April 8, North Branford shut out Old Saybrook. 12-0. Sydney Senerchia struck out 12 in a complete-game effort where she allowed just one hit. Olivia Hemstock, Danielle Ramada, Angelina Ramada, Rachel Vitarisi, and Senerchia had two hits each. Hemstock drove home three, Angelina Ramada had two RBI, while Amy Raucci, Danielle Ramada, Vitarisi, and Katy Pedersen all had one RBI.
The next day, the T-Birds visited East Haven and won 8-0. Senerchia was brilliant in the circle once again, allowing two hits and striking out 17 in the complete-game shutout. Hemstock led the change on offense with four hits, four runs, two stolen bases, and an RBI. Raucci clubbed a two-run home run in the victory.
On April 10, the Thunderbirds beat East Hampton 13-1 in five innings. Kaylee Velez allowed an unearned run on three hits in her five innings and struck out five. Hemstock had three hits, including a pair of triples, to go with four RBI and three runs scored. The Ramada sisters and Raucci also had two hits as the trio combined for five runs scored and seven RBI.
Playing its fourth game in as many days, the T-Birds topped Westbrook 17-0 on April 11. Velez, Senerchia, and Mairead Aiken combined to throw a one-hitter and strike out 10 batters. Kayla Despres had three hits with three runs scored, and Hemstock blasted a three-run home run. Vitarisi and Danielle Ramada also drove in two runs in the victory.
North Branford closed out its week with a 12-0 win over Old Lyme on April 13. Senerchia pitched a complete game, allowing two hits and striking out 13 batters. She helped herself at the dish with four hits and three RBI, plus Danielle Ramada also drove in three runs. Raucci and Erica Piercey both scored three runs, and Raucci, Angelina Ramada, and Pedersen all finished with two hits.
Baseball
The T-Birds are 3-3 after winning their first two games last week and then taking three defeats.
Early on last week, North Branford routed Creed-Hillhouse by a 15-1 score on April 8 and then followed that up with a 1-0 shutout versus Westbrook on April 9. Against Westbrook, John Pollock tossed a four-hit shutout for the Thunderbirds, who won it in the bottom of the seventh on a walk-off wild pitch.
Following the win, the T-Birds took a 3-0 loss to Old Lyme on April 11 and a 9-0 defeat versus Coginchaug on April 13. North Branford then lost 9-3 to Lyman Hall on April 14. Nick Mancini and Jeff Jablonski both had a double in the loss.
Girls’ Tennis
North Branford continued its solid start to the year by netting two wins last week and holds a 4-1 record through its first five contests. The Thunderbirds lost to Valley Regional, but then defeated Portland and Morgan later in the week.
The T-Birds’ week started with a 4-3 loss to Shoreline Conference foe Valley Regional on April 9. All three of North Branford’s wins came in singles as Sydney Constantinidi won 6-4, 6-4; Sofia Cavalier won 6-1, 6-0; and Zelda Galdenzi won 5-7, 6-1, 6-1. In other action, Jordan Caplan lost 6-3, 6-1; Briana Dautaj and Janessa Pompano lost 6-2, 6-1; Alyssa Diaz and Ava Galdenzi lost 6-2, 6-2; and Emma Sarensen and Ashley Testa lost 6-0, 6-2.
North Branford rebounded nicely with wins over Portland and Morgan to close out the week. First, the team blanked Portland 7-0 on April 11. In singles, Constantinidi won 6-2, 7-5; Cavalier won 6-0, 6-2; Zelda Galdenzi won 6-2, 6-4; and Caplan won 6-2, 6-1. For doubles play, Dautaj and Pompano won 6-4, 6-0; Diaz and Ava Galdenzi won 6-0, 6-2; and Testa and Aaliyah Aaron won 6-2, 6-0.
On April 13, North Branford topped Morgan 5-2. The T-Birds swept singles in the win as Constantinidi won 7-5, 6-0; Cavalier won 6-0, 6-0; Zelda Galdenzi won 6-0, 6-1; and Caplan won 6-1, 6-2. The win at doubles came courtesy of Diaz and Ava Galdenzi by a score of 6-4, 6-3. In other action, Dautaj and Pompano, and Aaron and Testa both lost 6-3, 6-3.
Boys’ Tennis
North Branford took on Valley Regional on April 9 and lost by the score of 6-0. The T-Birds are now 0-2 on the season.
Girls’ Lacrosse
The Thunderbirds won two of three last week to improve their overall record to 3-1 to begin the season. North Branford blew out Haddam-Killingworth (16-2) and Old Saybrook (15-4), before losing a non-conference contest to New Fairfield by a score of 15-4.
On April 10, the Thunderbirds topped H-K 16-2, while outshooting the Cougars 45-4. Emilie Wilkinson and Emmy Norton scored four goals, while Mackenzie MacGowan had three goals and added two assists. Adriana Ingarra scored two and had five assists, plus Ali Barrett, Jessie Kilburn, and Melanie Norton all scored a goal. In net, Carly Sorrentino made two saves.
North Branford visited Old Saybrook on April 12 and won 15-4. The T-Birds outshot the Rams 33-13 as Sorrentino made nine saves. Emmy Norton scored a game-high six goals in the win, while Ingarra scored three and contributed four assists. Wilkinson scored twice, and MacGowan, Barrett, Avonlea LeBeau, and Kilburn also found the back of the cage.
North Branford later took a 15-4 loss against New Fairfield.
Boys’ Lacrosse
North Branford is 2-4 this year after dropping three recent contests. North Branford lost to Sheehan (14-7), Haddam-Killingworth (11-6), and Masuk (13-4) in last week’s action.
Against Sheehan, Tyler Dinapoli scored four goals and posted two assists, Jacob Montanaro scored twice and had one assist, and Dylan Martinik had one goal for North Branford.
Golf
North Branford has a record of 1-3 through the first week of its season. T-Birds took defeats against Shoreline Conference opponents Old Saybrook, Haddam-Killingworth, and Morgan to go with a non-league victory against North Haven last week.
On April 9, North Branford lost 174-211 against Old Saybrook. John Lovelace scored a 50, Paul Zumbo had 51, while Jake Neubig, Zack Smola, and Dave Murgo all finished with a 55.
The next day, North Branford was defeated 200-204 by Haddam-Killingworth. Lovelace finished with a 49 and was followed by Zumbo (50), Neubig (51), Smola (54), and Spencer Farrell (58).
To wrap up the week, North Branford visited Clinton Country Club to take on Morgan and North Haven. Morgan got the sweep with a score of 174, while the Thunderbirds totaled a 199 to defeat North Haven (211). Lovelace and Zumbo both finished with a score of 46, Neubig scored a 48, and Smola and Farrell each had a score of 59.