This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.

Post 76 Seniors Eliminated from State Tournament by Stamford

The North Haven Senior American Legion baseball team was eliminated from the State Tournament when Post 76 took a 3-1 defeat against Stamford at Cubetta Stadium on July 25. After losing to Stamford earlier in the tournament, North Haven needed to win three games in the face of elimination in order to advance to the next phase of the bracket. North Haven defeated Oakville 5-3 and then notched a 7-1 victory versus Stamford, before Stamford won the winner-take-all game in the final contest of the Southern Division Sectional portion of the tournament. North Haven’s overall record on the year stands at 27-12.

During the previous week, North Haven had split its first two games in states by posting a 3-1 home win over Oakville and taking a 5-3, nine-inning loss to Stamford. With its back against the wall, No. 2 seed North Haven hosted No. 3 Oakville for an elimination game at DeMayo Ballfield on July 24. Post 76 jumped out to a 4-0 lead and then held off Oakville’s comeback attempt to secure a 5-3 victory.

Nick Rossi earned the win on the mound by allowing one run in 2.2 innings of relief for North Haven. JJ Mazzaro also tossed a scoreless inning in relief, while Ryan Sullivan notched the save by pitching a scoreless seventh.

Post 76 went up 1-0 in the bottom of the first inning when Zack Pincince singled and scored on single by Sullivan. North Haven increased its lead to 4-0 by scoring four runs in the second inning. Pincince singled and scored on a single from Nate Zalegowski, Owen Silk singled and scored on a sacrifice fly from Kevin Lucey, and Danny Cannvaciolo singled and scored on a single by Dave Christoforo to highlight the big inning.

After Oakville scored two runs in the third inning, North Haven plated a run in the fourth when Zalegowski launched a solo homer to left field for a 5-2 advantage. Oakville scored its final run of the game in the fifth inning. Oakville had a runner on base with the tying run at the plate in the seventh inning. On the last play of the game, Oakville’s batter hit a single, but right fielder XXXX threw out Oakville’s runner on the base paths to solidify the win for Post 76.

Zalegowski went 2-for-2 with the home run, two runs scored, and an RBI; Pincince went 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI; and Christoforo was 2-for-3 with an RBI in the victory. Lucey went 1-for-2 with an RBI, Sullivan was 1-for-3 with an RBI, and Silk went 1-for-3 with a run scored.

On July 25, North Haven went up against No. 1 Stamford needed claim two victories over Post 3 in order to advance out of the Southern Division Sectional and into the Southern Super Regional portion of the bracket. North Haven defeated Stamford by a 7-1 score in the first game, but was eliminated from the tournament with a 3-1 loss in the second contest.

In the opening matchup, Ryan Sullivan tossed a complete game for North Haven. Sullivan allowed just one run on eight hits and one walk while striking out five in seven innings for the complete game.

Post 76 struck early by scoring three runs in the top of the first inning. Pincince drew a walk, Lucey hit a single, and then both runners scored when Christoforo cranked a three-run home run to right field to give North Haven a 3-0 lead. In the third inning, Christoforo singled and scored when Cannavaciolo grounded into a fielder’s choice. Cannavaciolo would later score on a wild pitch to make it 5-0.

North Haven added a run in the fifth inning when Rossi reached on an error and scored on a single by Mason Balmer. In the sixth, Pincince singled and scored on a single from Sullivan to give Post 76 a 7-0 cushion. Stamford scored its only run of the game in the seventh inning to make it 7-1.

Christoforo was 1-for-3 with the homer, two walks, two runs scored, and three RBI for North Haven. Pincince went 2-for-4 with a walk, two runs, and two stolen bases; Lucey was 2-for-4 with a run scored, Silk went 2-for-4 with a double, and Sullivan was 2-for-4 with an RBI in the win. Cannvaciolo had a run scored with an RBI and a stolen base, while Cole Zalegowski added a hit and drew two walks.

In the elimination-game rematch, Grant Purpura pitched a complete game to lead Stamford to a 3-1 victory over North Haven. Post 76 took a 1-0 lead when Christoforo hit a solo homer to right field in the bottom of the second inning. Stamford scored a run in the third inning, a run in the fourth, and run in the sixth to take a 3-1 lead. Rossi and Balmer reached on singles for North Haven in the bottom of the seventh, but Purpura got out of the jam to seal the win and help Stamford advance.

Christoforo went 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI, while Rossi was 2-for-3 at the plate for North Haven. Pincince pitched 1.1 innings of scoreless relief to keep Post 76 in the game.