| MOOSE MAJORS | O'ROURKE MAJORS | |||||
| Team | W | L | Team | W | L | |
| Page & Warner High View Health Elks Frank & Gloria Portland Napa |
10 8 7 5 1 |
3 5 5 7 11 |
Illianos Rotary Kiwanis Club Westfield Fire Catholic War Vets Puorro Electric |
10 9 7 6 5 2 |
3 5 5 7 8 11 |
|
MIDDLETOWN -- "It feels really good. I'm glad for the kids. It was a great season and a great team effort," said Illiano's coach Michael Cardi.
Illiano's got on the board with three runs in the first inning and never looked back. Josh Strohm led off the game with a single to left-center and then stole second base. He then moved to third and scored on two wild pitches.
Frank & Gloria's pitcher Shaun Marino retired the next two batters with strikeouts before Tim Kraner came to the plate. Kraner hit a long double to center field putting himself in scoring position for Brian Gauthier.
Gauthier singled between first and second, plating Dan Bibisi, a pinch runner, for the second run for Illiano's. Gauthier came around to score the third run on a double to right field by Cody Denzel.
Frank & Gloria's battled back to score a run in the top of the fourth, cutting the Illiano's lead to 3-1. Anthony Marchese led off the inning with a single up the middle and then moved to second on a groundout by Sebby Lagana. Marchese moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a groundout by Steve Charton.
Frank & Gloria's threatened in the top of the sixth inning, but it wasn't meant to be. Marino reached first on a dropped third strike and then stole second base. Marchese walked, putting runners at first and second with no outs.
Strohm got Lagana out on strikes and Steve Charton hit a ball to first that was bobbled briefly, allowing Marino to score under the return throw. Seeing the bobble at first, Marchese headed for third, but was gunned down by Kraner, the catcher, for the final out of the game.
Frank & Gloria's coach Eddie Valeriano would rather the game ended that way, being aggressive, than going down passively.
"I like how it ended, that's how we play the game, we run the bases a lot. I'd rather get thrown out trying to run like we did with the last out at third base than striking out. I thought we were going to have a comeback with first and second nobody out, but Josh is a really good pitcher," he said.
Strohm went the distance for Illiano's, allowing only three hits. He stuck out nine and walked only one in his five innings of work.
"Josh pitched a great game today. He really stayed focused. This is his second time pitching in the City Championship and I think he really learned a lot last year and really brought it to the mound tonight. He stayed focused."
The O'Rourke Little League championship game at Romegialli Field was an eight-inning thriller, and although it was decided by a wild pitch, you won't find too many more games ahead of it on the well-played list either.
Illiano's Restaurant, the regular season champions, came from behind twice to beat Rotary 5-4, but it was not easy.
"Great game; great game," Illiano's manager Mike Cardi said. "I knew this would be a close game; I just knew it."
Illiano's scored in the last of the sixth to tie the score at 3, and then plated two in the eighth for the win. In both innings it was the extra base hit and wild pitches that were factors.
Brian Gauthier hit a lucky bounce triple to center to lead off the sixth, and pinch runner Dan Bibisi scampered in on a wild pitch to tie the score.
In the eighth, Timmy Kraner's third double of the game chased in Tyler Cardi, who had singled, and again Bibisi went in as a pitch runner. He was moved to third on an infield single by Gauthier, and then scored the winning-run on another wild pitch.
Kraner was the winning pitcher. He went in to pitch in the seventh after starter Tyler Cardi used up his innings of eligibility. Kraner struck out four, but allowed the go-ahead run in the eighth when Mike Nadeau doubled and Shay Peterson singled him home.
The hard-luck loser was Malcolm Alleyne. He set down Illiano's 1-2-3 in the seventh after Peterson pitched six strong innings, but couldn't repeat that in the eighth.
Rotary got all its early runs in the same inning. After getting just a solitary walk off Cardi in the first three innings, the Rotary bats came alive in the fourth. Alleyne opened the frame with a walk. Nadeau singled and Peterson cracked a home run over the fence.
Illiano's scored its early runs one at a time. Anthony Freeman walked and came across on a triple by Josh Stohm in the second. Kraner doubled and scored on Sammy Dimauro's ground out in the fourth, and Gauthier's leadoff triple in the sixth turned into the other runs.
Despite the loss, Rotary coach Dana Wilson was upbeat. "I'm proud of the way we played tonight, and all year," he said. "We got six 10-year-olds, and for us to play well against teams with a lot more older kids was great. We came in second during the year and second tonight, and that's OK. Mike and I coached together last year, so I'm glad for him. This game was so great I wanted to be out there."
| Team | W | L | T |
|
Dr. Pats Emanuels Magnano Electric Mallove's Jewelers |
10 4 4 1 |
0 5 5 9 |
0 1 1 0 |
Shaun Marino
Kenneth Boyd
Matthew Demelis
Jonathon Francois
David Pugliese
Stevie Stanley
Alexander McGrath
Sebastian Lagana
Andrew Grimm
Liam Wolfram
Derrick Herring
Mgr, Ray Garboski
Coach, Steve Francois
Rontarus Carr
Justin Poirier-Folsom
Marcus Fazzino
Logan Reich
Aaron Deegan
Willie Molski
Bradley Derwin
Andrew Mierzejewski
Mike Mazzotta
Anthony White, Jr.
Patrick Michaud
Mgr, Nick Fazzino
Coach, Daryl Michaud
Coach, Bob Deegan
Billy Waldner
Matt Gomes
Will Garrity
Anthony Marchese
Sean Deegan
Brandon MacPherson
Drew Cietek
Sam Oeschger
Andrew Coburn
Andrew Campbell
Quintin Kolstad
Frank Kronenberger
Mgr, Steve Gomes
Coach, Fred Cietek
Coach, Jeff Marchese
Tim Kraner
Carlos Riuz
Joey Cooney
Louis Zanette
Anthony DiMauro
Alex Biestek
Nathan Seng
Steven Gambino
Shay Peterson
Cristian Matos
Kyle Pegolo
Tyler Cardi
Mgr, Michael Cardi
Coach, Lou Zanette
Coach, Joe Gambino
Coach, Wayne Pegolo
Eric Fritz
Patric Futia
Brian Gauthier
Nate Gorry
Joey Lentini
Julian Madison, III
P.J. Martin
Matt Newton
Chris Pontbriand
Alex Tracey
Ron Vaughan
Mgr, Mike Funaro
Coach, Brian Correll
Nicholas Wilson
Michael Nadeau
William Woods
Chris Cardi
Malcolm Alleyne
Evan Pennington
Devin Peterson
Sammy DiMauro
Brian Sheehy
Matthew Garofalo
Mark Zocco
Mgr, Dana Wilson
Coach, Don Roy
Maria Boutillier
Casie Burke
Michelle Chambers
Samantha DiMauro
Jen Haddad
Kaleigh Michaud
Kylie Stewart
Lindsay Tencza
Nicole Thody
Jessica Wasgatt
Emily Walsh
Kate Zawisza
Mgr, Pete Zawisza
Coach, Lou Haddad
Coach, Marty Chambers
Kelly Feodorov
Julia Manemeit
Alysha Pieta
Michelle Brown
Alexandra Dagenais
Kyra Poudrier
Taylor Bartolotta
Cassie Pieper
Katie Pierini
Katherine Mosca
Rachel Barber
Mgr, Dale Pieta
Coach, Wes Pierini
Coach, Norm Manemeit
Taylor Piangenti
Jacquesha Perry
Nicole Burgess
Michaela Dwyer
Brianna Sneed
Chelsea Pantano
Amanda Ives
Ashley Stokes
Emily Levis
Brooke Franco
Amanda Demoranville
Christie Idiong
Mgr, Bob Dorflinger
Coach, Tony Franco
Coach, Chris Mosca
Polina Boily
Alexys Davila
Liza Marino
Elizabeth Marx
Haley McDonald
Shalynea Mickens
Corinne O'Toole
Jessica O'Toole
Reid Pizzonia
Hayley Rocha
Trish Santos
Briana Valeriano
Mgr, Tim Feshler
Coach, Rick Pizzonia
"It was a tough loss, but I think we did pretty good. It was a hot day and I think a lot of them weren't ready for it. I think on a different day it would have been a different score," said Middletown coach Pete Zawisza.
"Pawcatuck was a good squad, can't take anything away from them. The score was only 5-0 and we got a few runners in scoring position a few times but we just couldn't connect."
Pawcatuck came into this game having allowed only two runs. Middletown had allowed only six and from the first pitch it was clear that it was going to be a heavy-weight battle.
Elysa Parrilla, the pitcher for Pawcatuck, sat Middletown down in order in each of her four innings of work and finished with six strikeouts.
Middletown pitcher Kate Zawisza allowed only two hits in her three innings of work, but damage was done on some defensive miscues in the field.
The relievers on both sides excelled also, as Lindsey Tencza for Middletown and Aubrey Latham for Pawcatuck each struck out five.
It wasn't until Pawcatuck brought in Latham that Middletown finally put someone on base, when Tencza singled over the head of the shortstop. Tencza moved to third as Jessica Wasgatt reached on an error, but Middletown was unable to push a run across.
The only other runners to reach base for Middletown were Samantha Dimauro who reached on a walk and Zawisza via error.
Summer is a tough time to get players sometimes with vacations and the like, and this team is no exception. They also have the added trouble of trying to fill the catcher's position.
"We're still losing girls to vacation and getting girls back from vacation. We haven't put the same squad up in four games. We had a new catcher today try out and I think tomorrow we're going to have another one try it too," said Zawisza.
Up to this point, however, each team that Zawisza has put on the field has performed well, showing by their 3-1 record and low number of runs allowed.
"They're playing well together. We've given up 11 runs in four games, in 20-something innings, so we've played well," he said.
Barring something very unexpected, Middletown will most likely face Pawcatuck for the championship in a best two-out-of-three series starting Wednesday.
"We'll probably end up seeing them again Wednesday. I don't see a way that we won't be there," said Zawisza.
Middletown is back in action tonight against Norwich in the final game of pool play.
For the other team it was a disappointing ending to an exciting run in its rich history.
Middletown's 11-12 year-old softball all-star team used defense and aggressive hitting to defeat Rocky Hill 12-3 at the Waterford South Little League complex and advance to the Section II finals, just one step away from the state title round. Rocky Hill fell victim to eight errors, something the squad was not accustomed to in winning the District 7 championship.
"The whole tournament we've been hitting the ball hard," Middletown coach Bob Dorflinger said. "... Tonight we mixed in some good defense."
Middletown threw a pair of Rocky Hill runners out at the plate on balls hit to the outfield. The first ended the second inning with two runners on base while the second time cut short what might have been a fifth-inning rally. On each play catcher Mallorie Dorflinger fielded an effective relay throw and blocked the plate to prevent the runner.
"Mal knows how to work that plate back there," the coach said. "When she gets the ball she knows how to block it. She's been at this level, this is her fifth year playing in the state tourna-ment ... As long as they make a good throw Mal's gonna get the job done on the other end."
Meanwhile a normally sound Rocky Hill defense struggled from early on. In the second inning three Rocky Hill errors allowed six unearned runs to score as starting pitcher Christine Bighinatti attempted to work out of a bases-loaded jam.
Middletown added another big rally on three errors in the sixth inning. Again all four runs were unearned. Despite giving up only four hits in the game, and two out of the infield, Rocky Hill allowed 12 runs, 11 unearned.
"They're bulletproof most of the time," Rocky Hill coach Mitch Vuernick said.
"I think the pressure of playing here is a lot for most of them. They're seasonal ball players. They play it for three or four months a year and then they stop. So the pressure can get to you."
The best hit of the night came off the bat of Middletown's Taylor Piangenti, who struck a ball deep down the right-field line in the fourth inning. Piangenti ran fast around the bases and beat out the relay throw to the plate for an inside-the-park home run.
Meanwhile, Middletown pitcher Emily Levis worked around base runners most of the game, scattering eight hits and three walks.
Erin Weber was 3-3 with a double, a run scored and an RBI for Rocky Hill. Bighinatti had an RBI double in the third inning while Megan Ruonavaara and Carolyn Dolomier each scored a run.
Rocky Hill finished 2-3 in sectional play but Vuernick said the learning experience was well worth it for the players.
"We taught them an awful lot of stuff knowing the kind of teams we'd be coming up against," Vuernick said. "We taught them a lot of high end plays and they executed them very well at the district level and in practice. But when they came here and somebody did it to them it was an eye-opener."
Middletown (4-1 in sectional play) will in all likelihood advance to Wednesday's sectional final to play host Waterford, who Vuernick called "the team to beat."
The winner of that game goes on to play in the state final at Rocky Hill.
| President | Eddie Valeriano | |
| Vice President Softball | Anissa Ladd | |
| Vice President Baseball | Mike Nicholson | |
| Information Officer | Michael Cardi | |
| Secretary | Kathy Wickham | |
| Treasurer | Carl Carta | |
| Registration Director | Mike Carta | |
| Player Agent Baseball | Carey Hewitt | |
| Scheduling Director - Softball | Christine Martinez | |
| Scheduling Director - Baseball | Mike Joy | |
| Safety Officer | David Peterson | |
| Umpire Training and BB Ump. Scheduling | Robin Watson | |
| Softball Umpire Scheduling | Joe Jenecaro | |
| Baseball Equipment Manager | Jeff Marchese | |
| Softball Training Director | Dana Wilson | |
| Baseball Training Director | Mike Funaro and Lou Zanette | |
| Public Relations | Joe Jenecaro | |
| Sponsorship | Kathy Wickham | |
| Jr/Sr Baseball President | Steve Ladd | |
| Challenger Division Director | Diana Moller-Marino | |
| Concession Stand | Joyce Raicik | |
| Code of Conduct | Julian Madison | |
| Extended Season/Fall Ball | Glenn Garofalo |
| Director - Tball | Tim Lombardo | |
| Director - Instructional | Ken Vaughan | |
| Director - Minors | Mike Alleyne | |
| Director - Majors | Mike Nicholson |
| Director - T-Ball | Rick Pizzonia | |
| Director - Instructional | Christine Martinez | |
| Director - Minor | Felix Torres | |
| Director - Majors | Karen Dorflinger | |
| Director - Junior & Senior | Karin Dorflinger |