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08/09/2021 12:00 AMThe Madison Senior American Legion 19-U baseball team saw its storied season come to an end when Post 79 took a loss against Wallingford in the semifinals of the State Tournament last week. Madison, which had pulled off a pair of one-run victories in order to make it to the state semis, finished its 2021 campaign with an overall record of 18-6.
Madison dropped a 5-2 decision to Wallingford in a State Tournament semifinal game at Ceppa Field in Meriden on Aug. 6. Head Coach Jeff Buck said that it was a great game in which both teams made some excellent defensive plays. Shortstop Jack Pireaux made a diving stop on ground ball that prevented Wallingford from scoring. Eli Davies threw out a Wallingford baserunner at the plate, and Will Bazenas nabbed a runner who was trying to steal second to help keep Madison in the game.
Jared Kuryan took the start on the mound and pitched 4.2 innings for Post 79, allowing just one run to go with six strikeouts. Pireaux and Davies had two hits apiece at the plate, while Danny Weinstein went 1-for-2 with a double, a sacrifice fly, and two RBI for Coach Buck’s club.
“The State Tournament went very well. Every player on the roster left it all on the field and did their part to make sure Madison comes out victorious,” Buck said. “We played solid defense, pitched extremely well and, offensively, we put together quality at-bats, which put pressure on the other team’s defense.”
Coach Buck said that Madison was bolstered by exceptional leadership throughout a season that saw his squad finish in first place in the Zone 2 standings. Buck praised third baseman/pitcher Kuryan, first baseman Weinstein, and catcher Bazenas for spearheading the leadership effort all summer long.
“Jared played a lockdown third base this State Tournament and hit the ball very well, to go along with his great defense,” said Coach Buck. “Dan also rose to the occasion with timely hitting. Every time he came up, he had a chance to help the team. In this tournament, he made the most of his opportunities.”
“Will has also been a big part of our team, catching a majority of the games this summer,” Buck continued. “He improved tremendously as a catcher and being able to work with the pitching staff to get the best outcome. He threw out a baserunner attempting to steal in each playoff game.”
After going 16-3 in the regular season, Madison opened the postseason by playing in the Northeast Regional Qualifying Tournament two weeks ago. Post 79 was eliminated from the tournament with losses against NCL Windsor Locks-Windsor and Wallingford, but was still permitted to compete in the subsequent State Tournament last week.
As the No. 1 seed in the Southern Region portion of the single-elimination bracket, Madison had a bye through the first round of the state draw. Post 79 then kicked off play in states by earning a 2-1 home victory versus 8th-seeded Westport in a second-round game at Town Campus Field on Aug. 3.
Madison was held scoreless through the first five innings before breaking through for two runs in the bottom of the sixth. Weinstein drove home the deciding run on a single that plated Kuryan. Matt Carone pitched a complete game for Madison, giving up just one unearned run on four hits and two walks to go with five strikeouts.
The following day, Madison faced No. 12 seed Newington in the quarterfinal round at Ceppa Field and came away with another 2-1 victory. Ken Nuzzi hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh inning to give Post 79 the walk-off win.
Chris Wanat tossed a complete game for Madison in which he gave up just one unearned run on four hits and two walks with 5 K’s. Kuryan led the way at the plate by going 2-for-2 with a walk and a run scored. Davies, Pireaux, Weinstein, and Bazenas each had one hit for Post 79.
“After being eliminated in our previous postseason tournament, I challenged the team to find the spark and extra gear I know they have. Each player on the roster accepted the challenge and found it within themselves,” Coach Buck said. “Everyone pulled for the next guy to get the job done. They all had each other’s back through the good or bad outcomes. Each player understood their role and played great baseball.”
Madison’s roster for the 2021 season featured Matt Carone, Ryan Knight, Eli Davies, Danny Weinstein, Chris Engelhart, Jeff Pinover, Andrew Earl, David Antonetti, Will Kranzler, Chris Wanat, Jared Kuryan, John deChabert, Jack Pireaux, Will Bazenas, Jack Kayal, and Ken Nuzzi.
Coach Buck described this year’s team as a “special group of players” who gave everything they had in their quest to achieve their dreams on the field.
“They play hard from first pitch to last pitch of each game. Every player shows up to the field with one goal in mind. That goal is to prove that they are the heart and soul of baseball in this town,” said Buck. “This team is made up of hardworking and talented players that, day in and day out, strive to put Madison on the map as a baseball town. They are great leaders and players for the younger teams in town to model their play after.”