Printer Friendly Version - Rams’ Baseball and Softball Win Two Games in States, Before Losing in Quarterfinals

Senior catcher Haydon Lockhart and the Old Saybrook baseball team earned wins versus Kolbe Cathedral and Windsor Locks in the first two rounds of the Class S State Tournament, before taking a loss to Coventry in the quarterfinal round. The Rams posted a record of 17-7 this year. Photo by Kelley Fryer/Harbor News

The Old Saybrook baseball team kicked off the Class S State Tournament by posting wins over Kolbe Cathedral and Windsor Locks, after which the Rams dropped a 10-0 home decision versus Coventry in the quarterfinals. Old Saybrook finished the season with a record of 17-7.

In the first round of states, the 4th-seeded Rams claimed a 15-1 victory over No. 29 seed Kolbe at home on May 29. The runs came fast and furious for Old Saybrook, which pushed six runs across the plate in the second inning. Junior Jaden Rolon pitched five innings and struck 10 for the Rams. Sophomore Cooper Pavlovich came on to pitch two innings of relief and notched three K’s.

Rolon also provided plenty of pop at the plate with two hits and four RBI. Junior Patrick Kelley knocked a pair of hits with two runs score and three RBI, while Junior Jordan Butler had two hits, two runs, and two RBI. Senior Haydon Lockhart added a pair of hits with a walk, two runs, and a pair of RBI for the Rams, who also saw senior Robert Holt get two hits, draw a walk, score two runs, and drive home a run.

The next day, Old Saybrook hosted 20th-seeded Windsor Locks in the second round and picked up a 4-0 victory. Senior Ryan Dubord earned the win on the mound by allowing just three hits and striking out 13 in 6.2 innings pitched. Junior Dan Cote retired the final batter of the game for Old Saybrook. Rolon and Holt both had in the contest. Jack Coella had a walk and an RBI, as did Cote.

On June 3, the Rams lost a 10-0 contest against Coventry in the Class S quarterfinals.

The Rams were triumphant in their first two games of the Class S State Tournament and then took a loss in the quarterfinals to finish with a record of 12-11 this year.

On May 29, the 25th-seeded Rams notched a 10-3 victory over No. 8 seed Innovation in a first round-contest. The next day, Old Saybrook earned a 14-3 win against Kolbe Cathedral in the second round. The Rams went up big by scoring seven runs in the fourth inning and cruised to victory. Senior pitcher Carly Michaud had a huge game on the mound with consecutive 1-2-3 innings to start the game. She would ultimately end the day with eight strikeouts and the win, in addition to going 3-for-5 with a double at the plate. Junior Sarah Howley had a pair of singles in the victory.

Old Saybrook defeated Housatonic Regional and then lost to Canton when the Rams competed in the Class S State Tournament last week.

On May 29, No. 7 seed Old Saybrook earned a 21-5 home victory over 10th-seeded Housatonic Regional in a first-round matchup. Two days later, the Rams dropped a 19-9 contest against No. 2 seed Canton in the quarterfinal round. Old Saybrook completed its season at 12-7 overall.

After earning its third straight Shoreline Conference title, Old Saybrook claimed third place in the Class S State Championship with a total of 63.5 points scored at Willow Brook Park on May 31.

Rams’ senior Tyra Finkeldey grabbed a gold medal in the pole vault by clearing 11 feet to finish ahead of runner up Carolyn Cumello of Coginchuag, who reached 9 feet-6 inches.

Old Saybrook’s 4x800 relay team of Allison Cody, Tehra Givehand, Jessica Stratton, and Emily Stratton snagged a silver medal for their time of 10:08.60. Rachel Vigorita earned second place in the high jump with a leap of 5 feet. Jessica Stratton took third in the 1,600-meter run with a time of 5:16.11.

Annea Thaci came in fourth place in the 100-meter hurdles (16.22), finished fourth for the triple jump (33-8), and placed eighth in the long jump at 16 feet. Alyssa Layte took fifth place in the shot put (31-6.5) and was also fifth in the discus (100-5). Cate Coppes earned fifth place in the pole vault with a height of 9 feet, and Grace Mclaughlin tied for seventh place by clearing 7-6.

The 4x400 relay of Finkeldey, Szucs, Cody, and Jessica Stratton finished sixth with a time of 4:24.11. In the 100 hurdles, Isabella Donahue finished sixth with a time of 16.46, while Coppes came in eighth place at 37.36.

The Rams claimed third place by scoring 47 points at the recent Class S State Championship.

Old Saybrook’s 4x800 relay of Luke Hanratty, Xavier Rios, Shane Henderson, and Eric Sultini finished in first place at state meet, timing in at 8:09.88 to beat out second-place Canton (8:20.98).

Jalen Johnson took second place in the 400-meter dash with a time of 50.13 seconds. The senior also came in third place for 100-meter dash at 11.39 and took home fourth in the 200 by finishing in 22.74. Henderson finished second in the 1,600 with a time of 4:26.88, while Sultini earned third in the 800 by clocking in at 1:59.08. Old Saybrook’s 4x400 relay of Sultini, Xavier Rios, Cooper Luciani, and Henderson took fifth place with a time of 3:33.02.

Enes Cecunjanin won three matches to reach the quarterfinal round of the singles tournament at the Class S State Championship last week.

Cecunjanin, the No. 9 seed, claimed a 6-0, 6-1 victory in the first round and then earned a 6-2, 7-5 win in the second round. In the third round, Cecunjanin recorded a 6-1, 6-4 victory to advance to the quarterfinals. He then faced No. 1 seed and eventual champion Max Klomp of Housatonic Regional, taking a 6-1, 6-0 defeat.

Also in the singles bracket for Old Saybrook was Jonah Nucci, who earned a 6-4, 7-5 victory in the first round and dropped a 6-1, 6-1 match in the second round. Luke Brodeur lost a 6-2, 6-1 decision in the first round. On the doubles’ side, Christian Fox and Austin Hilger netted a 4-6, 6-3, 10-7 victory in the first round and lost a 6-3, 6-1 match in the second round.

On May 26, the Rams defeated Lewis Mills by a 6-1 score in the qualifying round of the Class S State Tournament at Shepaug Valley High School. After securing the win to advance to a first-round matchup later that day, Old Saybrook lost a 5-2 decision against host Shepaug Valley and finished the year with a record of 15-7.

Old Saybrook finished with a score of 343 to come in tied for third place with Cromwell at the Shoreline Conference Championship that was held at Stanley Golf Course on May 24.

Jay DePalermo turned in a score of 83, Kyle Savino tallied a score of 84, and Ben O’Dell finished the day with 86 for the Rams at the conference meet.

Later in the week, Old Saybrook defeated Old Lyme by a score of 174-177 in a regular-season match at Black Hall Country Club on May 29. The next day, the Rams won a 169-198 contest against North Branford at Fenwick Golf Course.

Senior Jalen Johnson had a big day for the Rams the Class S State Championship meet on May 31. Johnson earned second place in the 400-meter dash, took third in the 100, and finished fourth in the 200 for Old Saybrook. Photo by Kelley Fryer/Harbor News