Printer Friendly Version - Branford Baseball on Five-Game Win Streak; Softball Defeats Shelton, 11-5

Senior Carson Mendoza picked up the win in relief when the Branford baseball team edged East Haven 2-1 in eight innings last week. The Hornets went on to edge West Haven 7-6 later in the week to get their fifth straight win and improve to 7-4. Photo by Kelley Fryer/The Sound

The Hornets’ baseball squad recorded an extra-inning win versus division rival East Haven last week, after which Branford won a close contest West Haven for its fifth consecutive victory. Branford now has an overall record of 7-4 with a mark of 3-0 in the Oronoque Division.

Branford kicked off last week by winning a 2-1 contest in eight innings at East Haven on April 24. The Hornets took a 1-0 lead in the first inning, East Haven tied it in the fifth, and then Branford went up 2-1 in the top of the eighth when sophomore Bennett Gentile was forced in on a walk with the bases loaded. Alphonse Suppa pitched seven strong innings to get the win for Branford, and fellow Carson Mendoza pitched a scoreless bottom half of the eighth to lock down the save as the Hornets won their fourth straight game.

Branford picked up its third win of the season by earning an 11-5 victory versus Shelton last week. The Hornets also took losses against West Haven and Lyman Hall for a record of 3-8 on the year.

Branford lost to West Haven 17-0 in a SCC Quinnipiac Division home game on April 23. Three days later, the Hornets traveled to Shelton and came home with an 11-5 win over the Gaels.

Branford hosted Cheshire in a big-time SCC showdown on April 24 and took its first loss of the season by dropping a 7-5 decision. Later in the week the Hornets earned a lopsided home win over non-conference opponent Stamford to move to 10-1 on the season.

Branford and Cheshire played a low-scoring first half and were tied 1-1 at halftime. The Rams then outscored the Hornets 6-4 in the second half to come away with the victory. Sophie Spencer scored two goals, fellow senior Autumn McHenry had a goal with an assist, and senior LanLe Crotty and sophomore Brianna Shaw both scored a goal. Senior Daly Hynes made six saves in net for the Hornets.

Two days later, Branford hosted Stamford and prevailed 19-5. The Hornets outscored Stamford 12-1 in the first half and outshot the Black Knights 36-9 for the game. Spencer had four goals with two assists, fellow senior Sabrina Torcellini scored four goals, and senior Autumn McHenry had a goal with two assists. Senior LanLe Crotty and junior Carly Shea both scored two goals, and sophomore Isabel Mannle had a goal with an assist. Seniors Haley Maercklein and Caroline Erickson, junior Grace Paleski, and sophomores Karly King and Brianna Shaw added one goal apiece.

The Hornets stand at 4-6 after defeating Sheehan and losing to Shelton in last week’s action.

On April 23, Branford routed Sheehan 17-5 on the road. Junior Rob Lionetti netted eight goals to go with two assists in the victory. Sophomore Jack Manware scored three goals, junior Will Riggs had two goals and an assist, Mike White dished off three assists, and fellow senior Matt Potter had a goal with two assists. Sophomore Cam Mills, freshman Nick Chieffo, and junior Mike Parker added one goal apiece for the Hornets, who saw senior captain Mike White win 68 percent of his face-offs. Fellow senior captain Marc Funaro led Branford’s young defense that also received solid contributions from Parker, sophomores Spencer Landsbach and Aiden MacNeil, along with first-year junior goalie Anders Brown.

Four days later, the Hornets were at Shelton and for another road game and dropped a 7-6 decision. Lionetti scored five goals, Mills had goal, and Manware contributed two assists in the defeat.

The Hornets got their season going in full swing by playing three matches last week. Branford came away with one victory to stand with a record of 3-4 this year.

On April 23, The Hornets recorded a 170-198 win versus Sheehan at Farms Country Club. Senior Liam Deane garnered medalist honors with a round of 39 for Branford. Junior Minsok Lee and sophomore Spencer Engstrom both turned in a score of 42, while junior Colin Libby finished with a 47.

The next day, Branford hosted Hamden at Pine Orchard Country Club and took a 166-189 defeat. Lee, Deane, and Engstrom all finished with scores of 47 for the Hornets, while senior EJ Lee scored a 51.

The Hornets finished their week with a match against Cheshire at Farms Country Club and lost 169-173. Deane shot a 39 and was co-medalist with a golfer from Cheshire. Minsok Lee (41), junior Max Bunton (44), and EJ Lee (49) rounded out the scoring for the Hornets.

The Hornets dropped a contest against Hand, before notching a 7-0 shutout versus Cross last week. Branford now stands with a record of 5-4 this spring.

Branford hosted Hand on April 23 and took a 7-0 defeat. Four days later, Branford had a match at Cross and won by a 7-0 final. Senior Bradley Stutzman (6-0, 6-0), junior Praneeth Ganedi (6-0, 6-0), senior Will Benni (6-3, 6-1), and senior Chris DeLise (6-0, 6-3) were victorious at the singles positions for Branford. In doubles, the Hornets’ teams of senior Charles Hall and sophomore Eli Hanlon (6-0, 6-0), juniors Kurt Schalper and Dan McGuire (6-0, 6-1), and junior Paul Riccio and sophomore Jaden Andresen (6-1, 6-0) all won their matches.

The Hornets started their week with a match at Hand took a 7-0 loss. The next day, Branford was on the road to face Lauralton Hall at Eisenhower Park and lost 6-1. Then on April 26, Branford lost a 7-0 home matchup versus Amity.

Marisa Minore and the Hornets put their third win of the year in the books when they bested Shelton by an 11-5 final on April 26. Photo by Kelley Fryer/The Sound