Printer Friendly Version - Post 76 Seniors Get Several Victories During Busy Week

Daniel Meyers tossed five solid innings when the Post 76 Seniors claimed a 7-3 victory versus Branford in the opening game of a doubleheader on June 30. North Haven has a record of 10-6 in its Zone 2 contests this summer. File photo by Kelley Fryer/The Courier

The North Haven Senior American Legion baseball team came away from a busy stretch on the ballfield by notching five victories in eight games during recent action. North Haven started off its stretch by sweeping a series against Branford, after which Post 76 lost two of three in a hotly contested series with Cheshire. Following a non-zone loss to an out-of-state squad, North Haven came back to pick up a win versus Meriden last weekend.

Post 76 has a record of 10-6 in Zone 2 play this year and stands in second place in the Western Division, 2.5 games behind Hamden for the top spot. North Haven’s overall record on the summer is 16-7.

North Haven swept its three-game series with Branford by posting a 3-1 victory on June 29 and then taking both ends of a doubleheader at home on June 30. Post 76 claimed a 7-3 win in the opener and then won the nightcap by a 6-5 final in walk-off fashion.

In the first game of the series, North Haven scored two runs in the fourth inning and added another run in the sixth to take a 3-0 lead in an eventual 3-1 win at DeMayo Ballfield. Hunter Garthwait earned the win on the mound by pitching 5.2 innings for North Haven. Garthwait allowed just one hit and struck out seven on his way to the victory. Nick Rossi gave up one unearned run in 1.1 innings of relief to get the save.

Kevin Lucey went 1-for-1 with a double, two walks, two runs scored, and a stolen base for North Haven. Ryan Sullivan was 1-for-2 with a run and two RBI, Danny Cannvaciolo went 2-for-4, and Cole Zalegowski had an RBI double.

The next day, Post 76 won both games in a home doubleheader versus Branford. North Haven scored four runs in the fourth inning on its way to a 7-3 victory in the opening contest. Daniel Meyers pitched a great game by allowing just two hits over five scoreless innings for Post 76. Cannvaciolo went 2-for-3 with a stolen base, while Mason Balmer was 1-for-2 with a walk, a stolen base, and two RBI. Lucey went 1-for-3 with a double, a walk, a run, and an RBI. Dave Christoforo was 1-for-2 with two walks and two runs scored.

In the second game, North Haven fell into a 4-0 hole in the first inning, but rallied to tie the game in the fifth and eventually win it by plating a run in the bottom of the seventh. Lucey’s RBI triple brought in Christoforo to give North Haven the 6-5, walk-off win.

Zack Pincince came into the game in relief during the first inning and went the rest of the way to get the victory. Pincince tossed 6.1 innings in which he allowed one run on two hits with seven strikeouts.

Cannavaciolo was 2-for-3 with a walk, a run scored, and a stolen base; Christoforo went 1-for-3 with a walk, a run, two RBI, and a stolen base; Garthwait was 1-for-4 with two runs scored, and Zalegowski went 1-for-1 with two walks for North Haven.

North Haven went on to face Cheshire in an exciting three-game series against another Zone 2 opponent. On July 2, Post 76 split a doubleheader with Cheshire by taking a 4-3 loss and earning an 8-5 win at DeMayo Ballfield. The following day, North Haven dropped a 6-3 decision at Cheshire High School.

In the first game, Cheshire rallied for three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to defeat North Haven by a 4-3 score in walk-off fashion. Rossi started on the mound and allowed one run in 5.2 innings. Cannavaciolo went 2-for-3 with a run and a stolen base, while Balmer was 2-for-3 with a double, a walk, and a run. Garthwait, Christoforo, and Lucey all had a base hit with an RBI.

In the second game of the doubleheader, North Haven trailed 5-3 entering the bottom of the sixth inning, but pushed home five runs in the frame and went on to get the 8-5 victory. Owen Silk earned the win in relief by pitching two scoreless innings for North Haven.

Garthwait went 2-for-3 with a walk, a run, and an RBI; Christoforo was 2-for-3 with a double, a walk, a stolen base, and an RBI; and Rossi went 1-for-2 with a walk, two runs, and two RBI, including a key two-run single during North Haven’s big sixth inning.

North Haven took a 6-3 defeat in the final game of the series. The game was tied at 3-3 when Cheshire scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth. Reid Kankel pitched 1.2 scoreless innings of relief for Post 76, and he also went 3-for-4 at the plate. Lucey was 2-for-3 with a double, a walk, a run, scored and an RBI; Cannavaciolo went 1-for-2 with two walks and a run, and Zalegowski was 1-for-2 with a walk, a run scored, and an RBI.

On July 5, North Haven lost a 4-1 home game against Ephrata, Pennsylvania in a non-zone contest. Zalegowski had an RBI single, while Christoforo drew two walks and scored a run for North Haven in the game.

The next day, North Haven posted a 7-4 road win over Meriden at Legion Field. Garthwait earned the win by allowing two runs (1 earned) in 4.1 innings. Pincince pitched the final 2.2 innings to lock up the save.

Christoforo went 3-for-4 with a home run, a double, two runs scored, two RBI, and a stolen base for North Haven. Zalegowski was 3-for-4 and scored a run. Balmer went 2-for-4 with two runs and a triple, while Cannavaciolo was 1-for-3 with a run and an RBI.

Danny Cannavaciolo had several multi-hit games to help the North Haven Senior Legion baseball team collect five victories in a five-game stretch during last week’s action. File photo by Kelley Fryer/The Courier