Printer Friendly Version - North Branford Breaks Out of the Gate with Victories Galore

Senior captain Amy Raucci and the North Branford softball squad are off to a 3-1 start this spring after claiming victory in three of their first four games of the campaign. Raucci hit two home runs for the T-Birds on the week. Photo by Kelley Fryer/The Sound

The North Branford softball team won three of its first four games to begin the 2019 season. The Thunderbirds earned a 15-10, 11-inning victory at East Haven in their season opener on March 30 and followed that up with a 14-0 shutout versus East Hampton on April 1. After taking a 3-2 loss at Valley Regional, the T-Birds posted a 19-0 victory against Portland in their home opener on April 4.

North Branford started its campaign by defeating East Haven in an extra-inning slugfest. Trailing 7-5 in the sixth, North Branford hung a five spot on the scoreboard to take the lead, but then allowed three runs in the bottom half of the inning to force extras. In the top of the 11th, junior Kayla Despres had the game-winning hit with an RBI double to push North Branford to the 15-10 victory. Despres had four hits, including the double and a home run, to go with five RBI and four runs scored. Junior Katy Pedersen and freshman Hannah Senerchia had three hits each, while Pedersen and senior captain Amy Raucci slugged home runs in the win. Raucci, Pedersen, sophomore Jada Miconi, and freshman Bella Hills had two RBI apiece. Senior Kaylee Velez started the game on the mound for the T-Birds. Hills came on in relief and earned the victory after allowing three hits and no runs in six innings.

On April 1, Velez pitched a one-hitter and struck out seven as North Branford blanked East Hampton 14-0. Raucci belted another home run to go with four RBI and three runs scored, while Pedersen clubbed three hits, scored two runs, and knocked in a pair of runs. Senerchia finished with two hits and three RBI, and senior captain Brianna Raccio had two hits with an RBI. Junior Rachel Vitarisi and sophomore Sophia Ouellet both had one hit with an RBI in the victory.

Two days later, North Branford took a 3-2 loss against Valley Regional. Despres had three hits for the T-Birds, and senior captain Angelina Ramada also had a hit in the game. Pedersen and Senerchia drove in runs, while Senerchia and sophomore Erica Piercey scored those runs. Velez struck out eight in six innings pitched.

North Branford closed out the week with a 19-0 home win over Portland. Junior Mairead Aiken threw a one-hitter and struck out nine for the T-Birds, whose offense produced 14 hits and drew 12 walks. Ouellet had three hits and four RBI; Piercey, Senerchia, and senior Ashley Anderson had two hits apiece; and Anderson, Piercey, and Miconi each drove in two runs.

North Branford is off to a 3-0 start after claiming victory in its first three games of the year. Head Coach Billy Mitchell and assistant coaches Frank Mentone and Ron Ragozzino return for their 11th season to lead a T-Birds’ team that features eight seniors this spring.

Last week, the Thunderbirds claimed a 17-0 win at East Hampton on April 1 that was followed by a 16-7 victory at Valley Regional on April 3. The next day, North Branford topped Portland by an 11-1 score in its home opener.

Against East Hampton, junior John Pollock earned the victory on the mound for North Branford. Senior Nick Mancini led off the game with a home run to set the tone on a day that saw the T-Birds’ bats produce 17 runs.

After that, Bret Fee earned the win on the hill by pitching 5.2 innings when North Branford defeated Valley Regional. Mancini and senior Steve Galluba had four hits apiece as North Branford finished the game with 19 hits.

Sophomore Jadon Canelli pitched a complete game when North Branford shut out Portland. Senior Matt Cosgrove had two hits for the T-Birds.

The Thunderbirds opened their season in spectacular fashion by winning their first four matches last week. North Branford edged out Morgan by a 4-3 score on the road, before winning convincingly against Portland, Cromwell, and Haddam-Killingworth later in the week.

On March 30, the Thunderbirds visited Westbrook and won by the final of 4-3. Senior Sydney Constantinidi earned a 6-3, 6-3 victory at No. 2 singles, and junior Janessa Pompano claimed a 6-1, 6-2 win in the No. 3 singles match for North Branford. In doubles, the T-Birds’ No. 1 team of juniors Briana Dautaj and Ava Galdenzi prevailed 6-3, 6-2, while the No. 3 pairing of senior Ali Cristante and sophomore Emma Serenson notched a 6-2, 6-3 victory.

Two days later, North Branford squared off versus Portland at home and earned a 7-0 victory. Junior Sofia Cavalier (6-2, 6-3), Constantinidi (6-0, 6-1), senior Jordan Caplan (6-0, 6-1), and Pompano (6-4, 6-3) posted victories in singles action. The duos of Dautaj and Galdenzi (6-3, 6-2), senior Alyssa Diaz and sophomore Catie Dow (6-4, 6-3), and Serenson and senior Ashley Testa (6-2, 6-1) won their doubles matches to complete the sweep for the T-Birds.

On April 3, the Thunderbirds defeated Cromwell 7-0. Cavalier (6-3, 6-2), Constantinidi (7-5, 6-3), Caplan (6-1, 7-6 [8-6]), and Pompano (6-3, 6-3) won their singles matches for the T-Birds. The doubles teams of Dautaj and Galdenzi (7-5, 6-1), Diaz and Dow (6-3, 6-3), and Testa and Serenson (4-6, 6-4, 6-5 [7-3]) were also victorious.

North Branford closed out its week by netting a 6-1 victory over Haddam-Killingworth on April 4.

The T-Birds claimed victories against Haddam-Killingworth and Valley Regional to begin their season. North Branford defeated H-K by a 21-6 score in a home game on April 2 and then beat Valley 16-6 on the road the next day.

Senior captain Jessie Kilburn scored six goals and added an assist in the win versus H-K. Junior Sally Cucinotta and sophomore Olivia Toto scored three goals apiece, while junior Gabby Gibilisco added two goals. Junior Ali Barrett, junior Briana D’Onofrio, senior Avonlea LeBeau, senior Jordan Regan, junior Aly Kendrick, senior Cayleen Defaranos, and sophomore Amanda Nuzzo all scored one goal. Barrett finished with four assists, while LeBeau had two assists for the T-Birds, who saw junior Carly Sorrentino make seven saves in goal.

Against Valley, North Branford rushed out to a 10-1 lead in the first half and never looked back. Sorrentino made six saves to get the win in net. Kilburn led the charge with five goals, and LeBeau scored four goals. Barrett contributed three goals and three assists, Toto scored a pair of goals, and Gibilisco and Cucinotta both scored a goal for North Branford. Cucinotta, Defaranos, and senior Mary-Kate Torgerson had two assists apiece.

North Branford is 1-2 to start the year after taking losses against Haddam-Killingworth and Masuk to go with a win versus Valley Regional.

On April 2, North Branford dropped an 8-6 decision versus H-K. Sophomore Tyler DiNapoli scored four goals, senior Dylan Martinik had two goals, and senior Nick Barrett added an assist for North Branford. Junior goalie Xavior Cognata made 14 saves.

Two days later, the Thunderbirds beat Valley Regional by an 8-5 score in their home opener. Junior Peter Ablondi-Taylor led the way with three goals and an assist for North Branfrd. Barrett had two goals and three assists, while DiNapoli punched in a pair of goals and also had an assist. Junior Nate Raymond finished with a goal and two assists for the T-Birds, who were bolstered by nine saves from Cognata in net.

North Branford lost an 8-4 contest against Masuk on April 6. DiNapoli scored two goals with an assist, Barrett had a goal and an assist, and Martinik scored a goal. Cognata made 14 saves for the T-Birds.