Printer Friendly Version - North Haven Junior Legion Sweeps Three-Game Set from Branford

Alex Bauman pitched a two-hitter to lead the North Haven Junior Legion baseball team to a 3-1 victory over Naugatuck on July 2. Post 76 plated a pair of runs in the top of the seventh inning to come away with the win. File photo by Kelley Fryer/The Courier

The North Haven Junior American Legion baseball squad rattled off a slew of recent victories as the team looks to go on a streak during the second half of its season. Post 76 earned a three-game sweep in a series with Branford, split a pair of games versus Naugatuck, and then lost two games against Meriden over the weekend. With these results, North Haven raised its record to 4-9 in Zone 2 action on the year. Post 76 has an overall mark of 6-14.

North Haven swept a three-game series with Zone 2 opponent Branford to kick off recent action. Post 76 took both ends of a doubleheader in Branford on June 29, prevailing by a 15-5 score and then notching an 8-7 win in nine innings. On July 1, North Haven claimed a 13-9 home victory over Branford.

In the first game, Harrison Rainey came in for relief during the first inning and wound up pitching six innings to get the win for Post 76. Rainey allowed just one run on five hits to go with seven strikeouts.

At the dish, Derek Novicki went 3-for-5 with five RBI and a stolen base for North Haven. Alex Bauman drew five walks and scored four runs in the 15-5 rout. Chris Hager went 2-for-3 with two walks, three runs, and two stolen bases, Owen Pincince was 1-for-4 with two walks, a run, an RBI, and three stolen bases, and Anthony Acampora was 1-for-4 with a walk, three runs scored, and an RBI.

For the second game, North Haven was trailing 5-1 and down to its last chance, but rallied for five runs in the top of the seventh inning to take a 6-5 lead. Branford scored a run in the bottom half of the frame to tie the score and send the game to extra innings. Post 76 scored two runs in the top of the ninth and then held off a Branford rally in the bottom half to secure the 8-7 victory. North Haven had tied the game in the seventh when Ty Rooney scored on a balk committed by Branford’s pitcher. In the ninth, Jason Senberg scored the go-ahead run when Robert Farrelly grounded into a fielder’s choice.

Rooney picked up the win in relief by allowing two runs (1 earned) in three innings pitched. Novicki tossed 2.1 scoreless innings of relief. Pincince went 2-for-3 with a double, two walks, a run, and an RBI; Hager was 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI, and Ryan Balzano went 1-for-2 with a walk, a run, and an RBI in the victory.

North Haven completed the three-game sweep by defeating Branford 13-9 at Bailey Road Field. Ryan Cannon pitched four innings to get the win on the hill. Rooney went 3-for-5 with a run scored and three RBI to pace the offense. Acampora went 2-for-3 with a double, two runs, and an RBI; Pincince was 1-for-3 with a double, two walks, two runs, an RBI, and a stolen base; and Novicki went 1-for-3 with a walk, two runs scored, an RBI.

After sweeping Branford, North Haven split a two-game set against non-conference opponent Naugatuck. Post 76 claimed a 3-1 road win on July 2 and then dropped a 4-3 decision at Naugatuck the following day.

In the first contest, North Haven broke a 1-1 tie by scoring two runs in the top of the seventh inning. Hager drove home Chris Tobin on a sacrifice fly to give Post 76 the lead, after which Pincince scored an insurance run on an error.

Bauman tossed a gem by pitching a complete-game two-hitter for North Haven. Bauman only allowed one unearned run and struck out six to pick up the win. Mike Anquillare doubled and scored a run in the victory. Pincince hit a double, drew a walk, and stole a base for North Haven.

The next day, North Haven trailed Naugatuck 1-0 in the top of the seventh, but scored three runs to take a 3-1 lead into the bottom half of the inning. Naugatuck came back with three runs in the bottom of the seventh to get the 4-3, walk-off win. Balzano had hit a two-run double to put North Haven up in and later came home on a double by Novicki during the top of the seventh.

Balzano started on the mound and pitched six innings for Post 76, allowing just one run on three hits with seven strikeouts. He also went 1-for-2 with two walks, a run scored, and an RBI at the plate. Acampora had two walks and scored a run, while Pincince drew two walks to go with two stolen bases for North Haven.

On July 6, North Haven was swept by Meriden in a road doubleheader at Legion Field. Post 76 took a 12-3 loss and a 7-3 defeat against its Zone 2 foe.

In the first game, Rooney had a single with an RBI, Farrelly singled and scored a run, and Tobin had an RBI for Post 76.

In the nightcap, Bauman had a double with two RBI, Acampora singled to go with a walk, a run, and two RBI; while Rooney and Pincince both had a single with a run scored.