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07/22/2019 12:00 AMThe Branford Senior American Legion baseball team won three of its four contests during the final week of the 2019 season, but Post 83 came up a couple of games short of qualifying for the State Tournament this summer. Branford earned a win versus East Haven, won the first two matchups of its series with Meriden, and then took a loss to Meriden in its season finale last week.
Branford came in third place in Zone 2 Eastern Division standings after finishing with a record of 13-14 in zone play this season. Post 83 finished two games behind Wallingford (14-11), which made states, for second place in the division.
Branford started off last week by notching an 8-5 home victory versus East Haven on July 15. Jake Bodner picked up the win in relief by delivering three solid innings of relief work for Post 83. Zach Vandale had two hits with three RBI, including a bases-clearing three-run triple that held up as the difference in the win. Robbie Barbash added two hits to go with two runs scored, while Zane Kmietek had a hit and scored a run for Head Coach Kyle Heins’s club.
Post 83 closed out its season by taking two of three games in a series versus divisional opponent Meriden. Branford notched a 7-1 win at Meriden in the series opener on July 16. Carson Mendoza got the win by pitching a complete game with nine strikeouts for Post 83. Branford broke open a 2-0 game by scoring five runs in the top of the fifth inning. Bodner and Eddie Zanor had two hits apiece in the victory.
Two days later, Branford was back at Legion Field to take on Meriden and split a doubleheader against Post 45. Branford prevailed by a 10-0 score in five innings in the opening game, before taking a 9-5 defeat in the second contest.
In the first game, Alphonse Suppa pitched a complete game by tossing five scoreless innings for Post 83. Branford scored six runs in the bottom of the second inning and added four more runs in the third to take a 10-0 advantage. The game was ultimately called after the fifth inning due to the mercy rule. Every player in Branford’s lineup contributed with a hit and a run in the lopsided win. Mendoza and Bennett Gentile both had two RBI for Branford.
In the second matchup, Meriden held a 2-1 lead after three innings and then blew the game open by scoring six runs during the bottom of the fourth. Branford came back with three runs in the top of the fifth to cut it to 8-5, but Meriden added an insurance run in the bottom half of the frame and went on to get the 9-5 victory. Gentile and Zanor each had two hits, two runs scored, and two RBI in the game.