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04/28/2018 12:00 AMThe East Haven baseball had a tough week last week as the Yellowjackets dropped an extra-inning contest against Branford and then took a lopsided loss versus Hamden. East Haven has lost four straight games for an overall record of 5-6 to go with a mark of 0-3 in the SCC Quinnipiac Division.
The Easties started off last week by taking a 2-1 home loss to Branford in eight innings on April 23. The Hornets’ Bennett Gentile scored the game-winning run when senior Gabe Longley issued a bases-loaded walk in the top of the eighth inning. Head Coach Butch Johnson felt the Yellowjackets beat themselves in the defeat.
“They only got one hit in the eighth. We made an error and didn’t catch a ball that was foul that we should’ve had. Of course, that would’ve been the end of the inning,” Johnson said. “The count was 2-2, and we should’ve been out of the inning. But then we loaded them up, and [Gentile] held up on a low changeup. I was surprised the kid held up, but he did. It was low, so it was ball four.”
Senior captain Ryan Spano started the game on the mound for the Yellowjackets and pitched seven strong innings, allowing just one run. Unfortunately, the bats were quiet as East Haven’s offense was only able to scatter seven hits. Senior Anthony Buffone hit an inside-the-park home run to account for the team’s lone run.
“[Spano] was light’s-out. He leaves after seven with a 1-1 tie. I couldn’t ask anything more of him. He was bringing it and pitched a great game. One more run and he walks away with a W. It’s too bad, because it was a great effort,” said Johnson, whose senior captains are Spano and Tristan Punzo. “It’s unusual that are bats are getting quiet with the warmer weather. It’s usually the other way around. We’re seeing good pitchers, but nobody is Clayton Kershaw out there. They’re good pitchers, but we’ve faced them and hit them before. I’m surprised our hitting has stalled out.”
Johnson noted that he’s glad to see the Yellowjackets making contact at the plate. The team’s strikeout rate is down, but Johnson added that the Easties need to do a better job finding open space in the field.
“We’re not striking out, but we’re not driving the ball, especially with runners on base,” he said. “Some of the guys are squaring it up and are tough outs.”
Three days after facing Branford, East Haven took an 8-0 loss at Hamden. With nine games remaining in the regular season, Coach Johnson hopes the Yellowjackets can get back on track and return to the formula that helped them win five of their first seven games this spring.
“It’s just one of those things where it seems like we’re playing two-thirds of a game. Our pitching has been solid all year, but we’re either not hitting or not fielding,” said Johnson. “Because of that, we’re letting games slip away. The effort is there and the morale is good, so we hope to turn it around.”
East Haven has a busy stretch with four games on the horizon as the Yellowjackets will play Notre Dame-West Haven, Harding, Law, and Cross in this week’s contests. The Easties need three more wins to qualify for the Class L State Tournament, and Coach Johnson wants his squad to reach that magic number this week.
“We have four games next week, and I’m going to tell the guys I want to win three of them and get into the tournament, so we can all breathe a little easier,” Johnson said. “We have tough games at the end of the year, so I want to win three now. Hopefully, that’ll motivate them to get those wins this week.”