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07/12/2018 12:00 AMAfter helping the Branford Hornets’ baseball team have a great season in the spring, Alphonse Suppa is off to a hot start with the Branford Senior American Legion baseball squad this summer. Alphonse won six games on the mound and batted .390 as a senior for the Hornets, who went 17-9 and advanced to the Class L State Tournament semifinals. With the Legion team, Alphonse is 4-0 with a batting average topping .300 to go with 10 RBI, while helping Post 83 win nine of their first 11 games on the year.
One of Alphonse’s proudest moments with the Hornets came toward the end of his recent senior season, when he learned that he’d made All-SCC, All-State, and New Haven Register All-Area for his performance as a pitcher. The right-hander was elated when Head Coach Stephen Malafronte gave him the good news at practice. Alphonse never imagined that he would reach such lofty heights.
“At the end of one of our practices, my coach told us about All-SCC. He said that we had one All-State player, too. Then he said that it was me. It made me feel great. I wasn’t expecting that,” says Alphonse. “I never put myself in that conversation. I never thought I should get this or I should get that. I just wanted to play the way I played. It put the biggest smile on my face.”
Another memory that sticks out for Alphonse is when he pitched in the Class L state semifinals at Dunkin’ Donuts Park in Hartford this year. The park seemed so huge to him, yet the game still felt the same once he stepped on the hill. Alphonse tossed a great game when Branford took a 1-0 loss against Windsor.
“The semifinal against Windsor, that was a blast to walk into the dugout and see the whole park. It was the biggest stage and the biggest game of my life,” says Alphonse, who pitched five innings of one-run ball in the contest. “It felt different and a little bit the same. When I threw a pitch and I looked at that green padding all around and could see all the seats behind home plate, it got me a little nervous. But the main thing that day was that it was the same, too. Nothing changed from the mound to the plate.”
Now, Alphonse is putting forth more dominating performances as a member of the Branford Senior Legion team. Alphonse’s mindset on the mound is to block out any distractions and simply pitch his game. Even if the other team gets a hit, Alphonse tries to stay loose. The more fun he has out there, the better he performs.
“One of my biggest things is that I get up there and just throw the ball. I don’t worry if a kid gets a hit off me. I just concentrate on throwing and having fun,” Alphonse says. “You have to focus on the things that you can control, and that’s it.”
Alphonse’s repertoire consists of a fastball, a changeup, and a curveball. He often relies on the curve to get strikeouts or force batters into making weak contact.
“My out pitch is definitely a curveball. If I’m up in the count, I will throw it,” Alphonse says. “I don’t throw an overpowering fastball, so I have to keep the hitter honest with the curveball. It’s a true 12-6 curve. I mimic the same motion as my fastball to fool the hitter.”
One of the reasons why pitching appeals to Alphonse is because he likes to dictate the flow of the game. It’s also a way for him to take responsibility and have a huge hand in the outcome of a contest.
“I started pitching mostly because I get to control the game. I know that if that kid got a hit off me, he deserved it,” Alphonse says. “I determine the pace of the game. It’s my game, and that’s all there is to say.”
Branford Senior Legion Head Coach Kyle Heins feels pleased to see Alphonse enjoying so much success with his squad. Heins believes that Alphonse’s performance on the hill and at the plate, as well as his demeanor in the dugout, have played a huge role in Post 83 becoming a Zone 2 contender once again this season.
“Alphonse is a great hitter and a great pitcher, but most importantly, he’s a wonderful teammate. He makes everybody smile around him. He’s a funny kid. He keeps people up and he’s an inspirational leader,” says Heins. “He’s a 4-0 pitcher through 10 games. He comes in, and he’s a big-game pitcher.”
As for the future, Alphonse is going to play baseball at the University of Connecticut next year. He’s looking forward to competing at the Division I level, while also staying close to home.
“I’m playing ball at UConn next year. When I went up there, it was a nice introduction. It felt like home there, and I was welcomed in,” Alphonse says. “I’m either going to major in business or marine science. I would like to work on a boat, taking samples of the ocean floor and things like that.”
Alphonse thanks his family and coaches for their help through the years. Alphonse knows that he never would have arrived at this point in his career without their support.
“I definitely want to thank my parents: my mom Donna and my dad Alphonse. I also want to thank my coach at Branford, Steve Malafronte. He’s coached me since I was little and taught me everything that I know,” says Alphonse. “I also want to thank Coach Heins. I’ve played three seasons with him and he’s a blast. He knows everything about the game and he’s always there for the good or the bad. He’s a good role model as a coach.”