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

North Haven Wins First Two Games in States Before Losing in Quarterfinals

The North Haven baseball team won its first two games in the Class L State Tournament before taking a loss in the quarterfinal round last week. North Haven earned a 19-2 win versus RHAM and then claimed a 10-4, nine-inning victory over Masuk to advance to the quarterfinals, where the team lost to Lyman Hall by a 7-5 score in a home game on June 5.

Head Coach Bob DeMayo’s squad finished its campaign with an overall record of 13-10.

No. 19 seed North Haven started off the Class L State Tournament by playing a first-round game at No. 14 RHAM in Hebron on June 1. North Haven’s offense slugged out 16 hits and also drew 11 walks en route to a 19-2 victory against the Raptors. North Haven put up runs in every inning but the fourth in its lopsided win, scoring three runs in the first, two in the second, three in the third, five in the fifth, and then three more in both the sixth and seventh.

Senior captain JJ Mazzaro pitched five scoreless innings to get the win for North Haven. Mazzaro allowed just four hits and issued no walks to go with four strikeouts in his winning effort. Junior Owen Pincince tossed a scoreless inning of relief in the victory.

Junior Mike Anquillare hit a three-run home run to help North Haven grab a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Pincince had an RBI single that was followed by a sacrifice fly from Anquillare to make it 5-0 in the second inning. North Haven scored three more runs in the third inning to take an 8-0 advantage, getting an RBI double from junior Shaun Murray and another RBI single by Pincince, who later scored on a wild pitch.

North Haven put the game away by plating five runs in the fifth. Junior Ryan Balzano and Anquillare both had RBI singles to account for the first two runs. Senior captain Cole Zalegowski followed with a three-run homer to increase the lead to 13-0.

North Haven scored three more runs in the sixth inning. Balzano had a sacrifice fly, Pincince hit an RBI double, and Anquillare had an RBI single to make it 16-0. In the seventh, Murray hit a two-run single and then Balzano drove home a run on a single to put North Haven up 19-0. RHAM scored its only two runs of the game in the bottom of the seventh for the 19-2 final.

Anquillare went 3-for-3 with a walk, a home run, a sacrifice fly, two runs scored, and six RBI to pace the North Haven offense. Pincince went 3-for-4 with a walk, a double, five runs scored, three RBI, and a stolen base; while Murray was 3-for-4 with two walks, a double, four runs scored, and three RBI.

Zalegowski went 2-for-4 with a walk, a double, a homer, a run, and three RBI for North Haven. Balzano went 2-for-4 with two sacrifice bunts, a sacrifice fly, a run scored, three RBI, and a stolen base; junior Derek Novicki was 1-for-3 with two walks, three runs scored, and a stolen base; and sophomore Steven Vincent went 1-for-2 with three walks.

The day after defeating RHAM, North Haven traveled to Monroe to face No. 3 seed Masuk in the second round of the Class L State Tournament and claimed a 10-4 win in nine innings. North Haven trailed 3-0 entering the fourth inning, but tied the game with three runs in the frame, and the contest ultimately went to extra innings. With the score still tied in the top of the ninth, North Haven broke the game open by plating seven runs and went on to get the 10-4 victory.

Vincent earned the win by pitching 7.1 excellent innings of relief for North Haven. Vincent came into the game during the first inning and stayed in the through the eighth, allowing one run on six hits and two walks. Pincince closed it out by pitching the bottom of the ninth.

North Haven was down 3-0 after Masuk scored three runs in the bottom of the first. After being held off the board for the first three innings, North Haven tied the game by scoring three runs in the fourth. Vincent singled to lead off, sophomore Tyler Harger reached on a single, and then Novicki was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Junior Chris Hager was then hit by a pitch to force in a run and cut to 3-1. Murray followed with a sac fly to make it 3-2 and then Balzano got an RBI single that scored Novicki and tied up the game.

Vincent worked out of jams in the fourth and fifth innings, then retired Masuk in order in the sixth and seventh, sending the game to extras. In the top of the ninth, North Haven’s first two batters made outs, but then the next eight hitters reached base to put together a huge seven-run inning that gave North Haven a 10-3 lead.

Vincent, junior Anthony Acampora, and Novicki all drew walks to load the bases, after which Hager hit a two-run single that put North Haven up 5-3. Following a walk by Murray, Novicki scored when Balzano reached on an error to make it 6-3. The next batter Pincince hit a two-run single that increased North Haven’s lead to 8-3. Anquillare followed by hitting a two-run single that made the score 10-3.

Masuk pushed across a run in the bottom of the ninth, but Pincince retired the last few batters of the game to seal the win for North Haven.

Murray went 2-for-4 with a walk, a run scored, and an RBI; while Balzano was also 2-for-4 to go with a walk, a run, and an RBI for North Haven. Hager went 1-for-4 with a run and three RBI; Vincent went 1-for-3 with a walk, two runs, and two stolen bases; and Novicki was 1-for-2 with a walk, two runs, and a stolen base.

Then on June 5, North Haven hosted No. 22 seed Lyman Hall for a Class L quarterfinal contest at North Haven Athletic Complex. North Haven jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning, but Lyman Hall came back and had the game tied 5-5 through five. The Trojans then scored a run in the sixth and another in the seventh to get the 7-5 victory.

After Murray doubled and Pincince walked, Zalegowski hit a three-run homer that gave North Haven a 3-0 advantage in the top of the first. Lyman Hall scored a run in the second, three runs in the third, and one run in fifth to take a 5-3 lead.

North Haven rallied to tie the game with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth. Pincince singled to lead off and was erased on a fielder’s choice groundout by Anquillare. After moving up on a Zalegowski single, Anqulliare scored on a groundout by Vincent to cut it to 5-4. Zalegowski later scored on an error by Lyman Hall’s catcher to knot the score at 5.

Lyman Hall took a 6-5 lead with a run in the sixth and then added an insurance run in the seventh to go up 7-5. Anquillare and Zalegowski singled to get the bottom of the seventh started, and both runners moved into scoring position following a balk by Lyman Hall’s pitcher. However, North Haven was unable to push those runners across, and Lyman Hall came way with a 7-5 victory to advance to the semifinals.

Mazzaro pitched the first four innings for North Haven, allowing five runs, only two of which were earned. Balzano and Pincince each pitched an inning of relief.

Zalegowski went 3-for-3 with a homer, two runs scored, and three RBI for North Haven. Anquillare was 2-for-4 with a walk and a run scored. Murray went 1-for-1 with two walks, two sacrifice bunts, and a double.