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08/11/2019 12:00 AMThe North Haven Senior American Legion baseball team completed its 2019 season by competing in the third annual Dan Riccio Memorial Tournament last week. Post 76 notched two victories in the double-elimination bracket to advance to the championship game, where North Haven took a 2-0 loss against the Connecticut Dodgers. North Haven finished with an overall record of 29-14 in a campaign that saw the squad place second in the Zone 2 Western Division standings and then win three games in the State Tournament, before getting eliminated by Stamford.
North Haven came into the Dan Riccio Memorial Tournament after having won the tourney during each of the previous two seasons. The tournament was founded as a way to honor Dan Riccio, who was the North Haven American Legion Post 76 commander for many years. Riccio passed away in January of 2017.
North Haven started off this year’s tournament by earning an 11-1 victory over the Connecticut Crush Blue. Post 76 trailed 1-0 heading into the top of the fifth inning, but exploded for seven runs in the fifth and four more runs in the sixth to pull away for the win. Daniel Meyers notched the win on the mound by allowing just one run in four innings pitched for North Haven.
Danny Cannavaciolo went 3-for-4 with a run scored for North Haven. Zack Pincince was 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI; Cole Zalegowski went 2-for-4 with a run and a stolen base, Owen Silk went 2-for-3 with two runs scored, and DJ Caron went 2-for-4 with a run and two RBI in the win. Dave Christoforo went 1-for-4 with a home run, two runs, and two RBI, while Nate Zalegowski added a two-run single.
In its next game, Post 76 dropped a 2-1 decision to the Connecticut Dodgers. The Dodgers scored two runs in the fourth inning to go up 2-0. North Haven cut it to 2-1 by plating a run in the top of the seventh, but was unable to push home the tying run. Christoforo singled and scored on a single by Cannavaciolo to account for North Haven’s run.
Pincince pitched two scoreless innings of relief, and Silk threw one scoreless inning for North Haven. At the plate, Anthony Acampora drew three walks, while Caron hit a double.
Now facing elimination, North Haven bounced back with a 1-0 win over the Connecticut Crush in the semifinals of the tournament. Meyers pitched a no-hitter by throwing seven innings in which he allowed just one walk and struck out nine to lead Post 76 to the victory. Meyers retired 16 batters in a row between the second and seventh innings.
Cannavaciolo scored the only run of the game in the bottom of the sixth inning, when he led off with a walk, took second on a wild pitch, advanced to third on a fly ball to center field by Mason Balmer, and then came home on another wild pitch. The Crush got a man aboard on an error with two outs int the seventh, but Meyers struck out the last batter of the game to secure the victory for Post 76.
North Haven’s offense was held to just one single by Owen Pincince. Christoforo drew a pair of walks on the day.
North Haven went on to take a 2-0 defeat in a rematch against the Connecticut Dodgers in the final of the tournament. The Dodgers broke open a scoreless game by scoring a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to come away with the victory and win the tournament.