This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.
08/01/2022 11:02 AMAs the summer season draws closer to its conclusion, the Clinton Huskies 17-U AAU baseball team is holding a record of 9-8 as it competes in the East Shore Travel League. After taking two recent defeats to New London, the Huskies stormed back by sweeping a doubleheader against the Roadrunners two days later to give themselves a winning record entering the home stretch. Overall, Head Coach CJ Caprio has been pleased with the effort that his players are displaying on the ballfield this summer.
The athletes on the Clinton Huskies 17-U team’s roster for the 2022 season are Andy Darr, Ryan Donadio, Kevin Ellis, Joe Giaccone, Sean Green, Ryan Luciani, Hunter Mancini, David Mantilla, Louis Mendez, Patrick Mitchill, Dillon Moore, Jackson Pray, Nick Spaziano, and Jack Whitehead.
On July 21, the Huskies hosted New London for a doubleheader and lost both ends of the set at the Indian River Complex. Clinton took a 9-0 loss in the first game and then dropped an 8-1 decision in the second contest. Coach Caprio knows that his team was capable of playing better in the doubleheader.
“We just have to show up and be consistent,” Caprio said. “That’s what I basically had to say to them after the [second] game. They were better than that.”
Despite losing the two games versus New London, Coach Caprio was pleased with the effort that his team displayed while being down by so many runs. While the season has featured some twists and turns, Caprio’s crew is showing no signs of slowing down and continues working hard on a game-in, game-out basis.
“The kids didn’t give up,” said Caprio. “That’s something that we’ve been preaching all year, and they did a good job of it. They never gave up on it.”
Two days after facing New London, the Huskies got back on track by winning both ends of doubleheader with the Roadrunners at Gorman Park in East Hartford. Clinton received some quality pitching and took advantage of its chances on offense to notch the sweep with a 14-5 win and a 1-0 victory.
“They just got a little wake-up call [against New London], and they showed up ready to play [versus the Roadrunners]. A couple bounces went our way, and we played pretty solid defense,” Coach Caprio said. “Everybody played well. I was real happy about it.”
The Huskies’ 14-run outburst in the opener of the doubleheader marked the team’s biggest run total in any game this season. Clinton has scored at least 9 runs 5 times thus far this year with each of those contests ending in a victory.
While the offense has turned in some solid performances, Coach Caprio has relied on quality pitching and defense throughout the season. Those two phases of the game have been the Huskies’ calling card all summer long.
“We know we have three or four really good pitchers that are going to give us a chance to win every time we go out there,” said Caprio. “If we play defense, we’re going to give ourselves a chance to win every time.”
Coach Caprio believes that a little more consistency on offense can benefit the Huskies in their final games of the summer campaign. Caprio is hoping to see his club generate more runs in an effort to pick up more wins.
“We’re looking to get a couple hits with runners in scoring position,” Caprio said. “That hasn’t been a very strong point for us this year.”
The Huskies had a chance to show the type of team they are when they competed in a three-day tournament in Delaware last weekend. Coach Caprio was excited about the opportunity that the trip to Delaware presented for his squad.
“I’m looking forward to seeing the kids get out there and compete. It’s a nice opportunity to see teams from all around,” said Caprio. “You never know where they’re coming from. They get to get out of their comfort zone in Connecticut and challenge themselves there against some good competition.”
The Clinton Huskies’ 17-U baseball team continues to grind it out as it enters the final weeks of the summer season. The effort from every player has been apparent in each game, regardless of the outcome. Most importantly, the Huskies’ 17-U group is having fun as its athletes play the sport that they love.
“I think this group of kids likes to have a lot of fun, and they have a lot of fun playing the game. You can see it when they play. Whether it’s good or bad, they’re still enjoying themselves,” Caprio said. “They’ve been working hard all summer. They’re getting better.”