Printer Friendly Version - Local Ballplayers Help New England Pride Win League Title

In its first season, the New England Pride baseball squad won 21 games and took the title in Independent Travel Baseball League this summer. Pictured from the Pride are (back) Head Coach Ryan Santoro, Nico Guadio (Southington), Eddie Zanor (Branford), Trevor Brown (Branford), assistant coach Bruno Castaldi, MacGuire O’Sullivan (Durham), Mike Hoyt (North Branford), Nick Mancini (North Branford), and pitching coach John Morrell; (front) Mason Traca (Branford), Anthony Burzynski (Branford), DJ Caron (Branford), and Gio Tirollo (North Branford). Missing from the photo are CJ Miller (Branford), TJ Beaudin (Branford), Jordan Botte (Branford), and Justin Botte (Branford). Photo courtesy of Michele Zirles

The New England Pride 18-U baseball team, which featured several athletes from Branford and North Branford, recently completed its inaugural season by winning its league title. The Pride posted a record of 21-7-1 and captured the Independent Travel Baseball League title by defeating The Dream Bat Bombers out of Somers in a two-game series at Trinity College in Hartford. The Pride also went 3-0 in the Colonial Clash Tournament in Westchester, New York, highlighted by a no-hitter thrown by MacGuire O’Sullivan and a walk-off win against the Homerun Bulldogs.

The athletes on the team were Branford residents TJ Beaudin, Jordan Botte, Justin Botte, Trevor Brown, Anthony Burzynski, DJ Caron, CJ Miller, Mason Traca, and Eddie Zanor; North Branford residents Mike Hoyt, Nick Mancini, and Gio Tirollo; Durham resident O’Sullivan, and Southington’s Nico Guadio. The head coach of the Pride is Ryan Santoro, who was assisted by pitching coach John Morrell and Bruno Castaldi.

“It was great to win a championship in year one in a league that’s expected to gain much traction and expand significantly in the next few years. The real winners, though, are the players. The team had great chemistry and leadership,” Santoro said. “Having coached most of the players, they knew the expectations, and they took it upon themselves to get better every day. They have helped establish our core values of a program moving forward.”

Santoro added his team gained a lot of exposure by having such a successful season in its first year.

“What stuck out most all season was not only the team camaraderie, but that we were seen by a ton of college coaches,” said Santoro. “The main goal is to help all of our players be seen who want to get to the next level, and we certainly achieved that. It is the players this year that stepped up to help create this program for others to follow in their footsteps. I’m forever indebted to them.”