Westies top Career in season opener
Westies roll to 16-5 victory in five innings
By MIKE MADERA
Westie Blue
(March 31, 2018) - The West Haven baseball team was looking to get off to a quick start to the 2018 season. The Westies did that in convincing fashion.
Pounding 12 hits and taking advantage of five Career errors, West Haven opened the season with a 16-5 victory over Career at Piurek Field in West Haven Saturday afternoon.
Mike Vitolo against Career, March 31, 2018. Photo courtesy of Todd Dandelske.
Nick Flammia, Juan Contreras,Brett Gradoia, and Dennis Gamester each had a pair of hits, while Contreras drove in three and scored twice. Gamester also scored twice and drove in a pair, while Flammia scored twice and drove in a run, and Gradoia, scored twice and drove in a pair.
Mike Vitolo, who was also solid on the hill to pick up the victory, also had a hit and scored twice. Vitolo allowed five runs, three of which were earned, allowed four hits, walked four, and struck out seven on 91 pitches of the season debut.
The Westies ended the game quickly, scoring seven runs in the first inning and nine more in the second for a 16-1 lead after two innings of play.
The Westies opened the season with a win against Career, March 31, 2018. Photo courtesy of Todd Dandelske.
West Haven took the lead for good in the contest, scoring seven times in the first inning for a 7-0 lead.
Dom Cambino opened by reaching on an error and scored on Nick Flammia's triple to center. Contreras doubled to score Flammia, and after Vitolo drew a one-out walk, Gradoia singled to left to score Contreras for a 3-0 advantage.
Gamester followed with a single to left to score Vitolo, and Gradoia and Gamester scored on a passed ball. Cambino's second at bat of the inning produced a run-scoring double for a 7-0 advantage.
Leading 7-1 in the second inning, West Haven scored nine more times for a 16-1 lead.
Vitolo started the second inning rally with a one-out single, and scored on a single by Gradoia. After Chris Cavallaro walked to load the bases, Gradoia scored on a passed ball, and Diego Mahecha singled to score Gamester.
Cavallaro scored on a passed ball, Cambino walked, and Flammia singled to load the bases. Contreras doubled to score Mahecha and Cambino for a 13-1 lead.
Westies top Career
WH cruises to 19-1 victory in five innings
By MIKE MADERA
Westie Blue
(April 7, 2018) - The West Haven baseball team has played twice in seven days. Both of those contests have come against Career and each has ended with the same result.
Combining 10 hits with four Career errors, West Haven rolled to a 19-1 victory over the Panthers at Piurek Field in West Haven Saturday afternoon. With the win, West Haven outscored Career 35-6 in the opening two games of the year to improve to 2-0 on the season.
Nick Flammia (7) and the Westies topped Career, April 7, 2018. Photo courtesy of Todd Dandelske.
Nick Flammia picked up the win on the mound, tossing three innings of three-hit ball, striking out three. Juan Contreras tossed an inning, allowing one run on one hit.
Offensively, the Westies had production up and down the lineup as Ty Reeves and Chris Cavallaro each had a pair of hits. Dennis Gamester drove in four runs, Brett Gradoia knocked in three, and Cavallaro and Contreras delivered two apiece.
Contreras, Reeves and Vitolo each scored three runs apiece, while Diego Mahecha, Gradoia, Flammia,and Dom Cambino each scored twice.
West Haven defeated Career, April 7, 2018. Photo courtesy of Todd Dandelske.
The Westies scored all the runs they needed with four in the first inning and 15 more in the second for a 19-0 lead.
With two outs in the first inning, Contreras reached on an error, Reeves walked, and Vitolo followed with another walk to load the bases. Gradoia followed with a single to left to score Contreras and Reeves, before Gamester singled to center to score Vitolo and Gradoia for a 4-0 lead.
West Haven put the game away with a big second inning. Diego Mahecha was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, Cambino and Flammia walked, and Contreras singled to left to score Mahecha and Cambino for a 6-0 lead.
Reeves followed with a single to load the bases, Flammia scored on a passed ball, Vitolo walked to load the bases, and Gamester hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Contreras. Cavallaro followed with a double to center to score Reeves for a 9-0 advantage, and Mahecha singled to left to score Vitolo.
When Cambino doubled to right, Cavallaro and Mahecha scored for a 12-0 lead. Career walked in two more runs in the inning, Cavallaro singled to score Vitolo, and Mike Tonucci singled to score Gamester for a 19-0 lead.
Branford cruises past Westies
Hornets top WH 12-2
By MIKE MADERA
Westie Blue
(April 9, 2018) - After cruising to a pair of victories to start the season, the shoe was on the other foot for the West Haven baseball team. Scoring in every inning but the second, Branford easily defeated West Haven 12-2 in a game stopped after five innings due to the mercy rule in Branford Monday afternoon.
West Haven (2-1) managed just five hits in the contest and did not score until two runs crossed the plate in the fifth. Branford, which led 8-0 before the Westies got on the board, ended the game with four runs in the bottom half of the inning.
The Hornets pounded 13 hits, with Alphonse Suppa picking up three, while also driving in four runs. Suppa also struck out five on the mound.
Nick Flammia led West Haven with two hits and a run scored, while Ty Reeves had a hit and drove in both West Haven runs. Reeves also took the loss on the hill.
Guilford blanks Westies
Indians top WH 8-0
By MIKE MADERA
Westie Blue
(April 11, 2018) - After opening the season with a pair of one-sided victories over Career, the season has come back a little for the West Haven baseball team. Just two days after suffering its first defeat of the year to Branford in lop-sided fashion, the Westies looked to get back on track Wednesday afternoon.
Unfortunately for West Haven, the bats went silent and West Haven fell to Guilford 8-0 at Guilford High School.
With the loss, West Haven fell to 2-2 on the season.
EH tops Westies
WH falls 7-4
By MIKE MADERA
Westie Blue
(April 12, 2018) - Since opening the season in disappointing fashion against Hand, the East Haven baseball team has been an entirely different unit over the last five games.
Using timely hitting, clutch defense and effective pitching is always a good measure of success. Throw in some resiliency, and the description of the Yellowjackets thus far is complete.
Behind a complete game effort from junior lefty Jack Kabel, clutch hitting from senior Ryan Spano, and a resilient effort in the latter innings, East Haven topped West Haven 7-4 in a Southern Connecticut Conference interdivision contest at Piurek Field in West Haven Thursday afternoon.
Chris Cavallaro (2) and the Westies fell to East Haven, April 12, 2018. Photo courtesy of Todd Dandelske.
East Haven, which has now won four of its last five games and two in a row, improved to 4-2 on the year with the victory. The Yellowjackets have won all three road contests they have played and capitalized on some West Haven miscues to tack on much needed insurance runs late in the contest.
“Starting 4-2, I will take that any day of the week,” East Haven coach Butch Johnson said. “We are playing with confidence. We got spanked our first game, then our only other loss has been to Hamden. We are playing really well.”
The Westies made eight errors in the game, including three to start the sixth inning after West Haven had just scored three times in the fifth to get within a run.
With three outs given up, West Haven and starting pitcher Nick Flammia could not keep East Haven off the board, turning a 4-3 East Haven lead into a 7-3 contest. After the first three batters of the inning reached by way of West Haven miscues, Frank Camera walked to force in Tristan Punzo, and Spano singled to plate two more.
Ty Reeves and the Westies fell to East Haven, April 12, 2018. Photo courtesy of Todd Dandelske.
“I knew it was a big spot and I needed to get a hit,” Spano said. “It was a 1-1 count and I got the fastball down the middle.”
Said West Haven coach Ron Luneau, “You can’t beat anyone on any high school field making eight errors. Obviously, we have work to do. We have to keep working on our concentration drills. We have to make the plays.”
The Yellowjackets jumped on West Haven quickly with three runs in the first inning. Camera led off with a single and scored on Spano’s double, before Nate Furino walked and Gabe Longley singled to load the bases. Punzo reached on an error to score Spano and Steven Mingione delivered Furino with a sacrifice fly to right.
“I want to help the team as well as I can,” Spano said.
East Haven increased the lead to 4-0 with a run in the second as Hunter Santana singled to lead off the inning and moved to third on an error on the play. Spano’s sacrifice fly scored Santana for the four-run lead.
“I think we showed a lot of resolve later in the game,” Johnson said. “We had the lead and nearly gave it up. Then, we came back and put the pressure on them. We had that resolve which was big there.”
Kabel, who went the distance allowing seven hits and striking out seven, kept West Haven off the board as he escaped a second and third jam in the second with a strikeout, and stranded two more in the third with a comebacker to the mound.
West Haven, which has lost three in a row since opening with a pair of victories, finally got on the board in the fifth as Chris Cavallaro led off with a single, moved to second on a bunt by Diego Mahecha and third on a wild pitch. After Dom Cambino walked, Flammia ripped a long triple to right to score Cavallaro and Cambino to get within 4-2, before a wild pitch scored Flammia.
“We showed something coming back, but we can’t be in that position,” Luneau said. “We need to get better.”
The Westies rallied in the seventh as Cambino singled and scored on a triple by Contreras, but Kabel closed the door without any further damage.
Visit GameTimeCT for videos of the game.
Cheshire blanks Westies
WH falls 10-0 in five
By MIKE MADERA
Westie Blue
(April 18, 2018) - The West Haven baseball team is looking to get out of its recent funk. Wednesday afternoon's contest against Cheshire did not help.
Allowing six runs in the fourth inning and four more in the fifth, West Haven was defeated 10-0 in five innings for its fourth straight defeat.
The Westies (2-4) were held to just two hits in the game, both coming in the fourth when Brett Gradoia and Dennis Gamester hit two-out singles, but were left stranded when Chris Cavallaro lined out to first to end the inning.
Cheshire then scored six times in the bottom of the inning for a 6-0 lead.
Ben Shadeck led off with a double, moved to third on a fly ball, and scored along with Ian Battipaglia on Eli Battipaglia's double. Ben Schena walked with the bases loaded to force in another run, before the fourth run scored on a fielder's choice.
Juan Contreras started for West Haven, going 3 1/3 innings and allowing six runs, all of which were earned.
Ty Reeves finished the contest, allowing four unearned runs.
Westies fall in Extra Innings
Lyman Hall scores 3 in 10th in 6-3 win
By MIKE MADERA
Westie Blue
(April 20, 2018) - The West Haven baseball team was looking to snap its four-game losing streak. Scoring twice in the bottom of the seventh, the Westies looked as if they were on their way to doing so.
Unfortunately, the Westies could not finish the deal. Lyman Hall scored three times in the tenth inning to defeat West Haven 6-3 Friday afternoon at Piurek Field in West Haven.
West Haven fell against Lyman Hall, April 20, 2018. Photo courtesy of Todd Dandelske.
Trailing 3-1 to start the home half of the seventh, Chris Cavallaro started the rally with a walk, Mike Vitolo followed with another walk and Mike Tonucci put down a bunt single to load the bases with no one out. Dom Cambino drove home Cavallaro with a fielder's choice, putting runners on the corners, before Vitolo scored on an error.
With Cambino on second, West Haven could not capitalize. After two were out, Juan Contreras was walked intentionally and Ty Reeves singled to load the bases, but a pop out ended the inning.
Diego Mahecha (3) against Lyman Hall, April 20, 2018. Photo courtesy of Todd Dandelske.
The Westies had a two-out rally in the eighth as Vitolo and Tonucci singled, but another pop out ended the threat. Nick Flammia walked to open the ninth, but was caught stealing.
West Haven had taken a 1-0 lead in the first as Cambino led off with a single, stole second, moved to third on a ground out.
Cambino, Reeves, Vitolo and Tonucci led the Westies with two hits apiece. Flammia went nine innings on the mound, allowing four hits, three runs, one of which was earned, while walking three and striking out four.
ND thumps Westies
WH falls 18-3
By MIKE MADERA
Westie Blue
(April 21, 2018) - The losing streak has reached six games for the West Haven baseball team. Looking to snap out of its slump, West Haven had the perfect opponent to do so against.
Facing rival Notre Dame, West Haven could not feed off the electricity of the rivalry and fell 18-3 at Piurek Field in West Haven Saturday afternoon.
West Haven against Notre Dame, April 20, 2018. Photo courtesy of Todd Dandelske.
The Green Knights jumped out to an early 6-0 lead with single runs in the first and third innings sandwiching four in the second. West Haven (2-6) scored three times in the bottom of the second to get within 6-3, but the Westies never got closer.
Notre Dame put the game away with three in the fifth, two in the sixth and seven in the seventh.
Dom Cambino against Notre Dame, April 20, 2018. Photo courtesy of Todd Dandelske.
Eddie Zanor led Notre Dame with two hits and two runs batted in, while Kye Stober added a pair of hits for the Green Knights. Dennis Gamester led West Haven with two hits and two runs batted in.
Hamden rallies past Westies
WH drops to 2-7 with 5-4 loss
By MIKE MADERA
Westie Blue
(April 23, 2018) - After a thumping at the hands of cross-town rival Notre Dame just two days earlier, the West Haven baseball team had a chance to get rid of that bad taste when it traveled to play Hamden . Unfortunately for the Westies, while they played better, the end result was the same in a 5-4 loss at Hamden High Monday afternoon.
The loss was West Haven's seventh straight since opening the season with a pair of wins over Career, and dropped the Westies to 2-7 on the year.
West Haven led 4-3 in the sixth, but Hamden's Matt Wendland drilled a two-run single to left to give the Green Dragons a 5-4 lead. West Haven put runners on in the seventh, but could not deliver the tying run.
Branford stuns Westies
Late rally propels Hornets over WH
By MIKE MADERA
Westie Blue
(April 26, 2018) - In the first meeting of the two teams this year, Branford delivered West Haven's first loss of the season in relatively easy fashion. The second time around was plenty different, but produced the same result.
Rallying with two runs in the seventh inning, Branford topped West Haven 7-6 at Piurek Field in West Haven Thursday afternoon. The loss was West Haven's eighth in a row, and second straight by one run.
West Haven fell to Branford, April 26, 2018. Photo courtesy of Todd Dandelske.
Dom Cambino and Diego Mahecha each led the Westies with two hits, while Chris Cavallaro added a pair of runs batted in.
Trailing 2-0 after two innings, West Haven took a 4-2 lead in the third. Mahecha led off with a single, Juan Contreras knocked in Mahecha with a two-out double, and scored when Dennis Gamester reached on an error. After Brett Gradoia reached on an error, Cavallaro singled to center to score Gamester and Gradoia for a 4-2 lead.
With the game even at four, West Haven scored twice in the fourth for a 6-4 advantage.
Hunter Axelrod opened the inning by reaching on an error, moved to third on a single by Cambino, and score on Mike Vitolo's sacrifice fly to center. After Juan Contreras walked, Gamester reached on an error to plate Cambino for the 6-4 advantage.
West Haven led 6-5 in the sixth and had an opportunity to extend the lead when Mahecha and Cambino opened the sixth with singles. After a passed ball put both in scoring position, Vitolo lined to short for the first out, before Contreras was intentionally walked to load the bases.
The move paid off for the Hornets as a double play ended the inning, setting up Branford's two-out rally in the seventh.
The Westies had a chance to even the game with two on and one out in the seventh, but could not deliver the tying run.
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Skid Over
Westies top Harding in five
By MIKE MADERA
Westie Blue
(April 28, 2018) - Desperately needing a win to keep their postseason aspirations in sight, the West Haven baseball team got that Saturday afternoon. With some solid defense, clutch hitting, and a nice pitching performance by Mike Vitolo, West Haven topped Harding 12-2 in a game stopped after five innings due to the mercy rule at Piurek Field in West Haven.
Dennis Gamester (5) congratulates Dom Cambino (19) after Cambino scored as West Haven topped Harding, April 28, 2018. Photo courtesy of Todd Dandelske.
With the victory, West Haven snapped its eight-game losing streak and improved to 3-8 on the year.
Juan Contreras (4) scores as West Haven topped Harding, April 28, 2018. Photo courtesy of Todd Dandelske.
The Westies jumped out of the gates quickly with three runs in the first inning, then put up five runs two innings later, capped by Chris Cavallaro's two-run single.
Hand blanks Westies
Tigers post 4-0 victory
By MIKE MADERA
Westie Blue
(April 30, 2018) - The West Haven baseball team fell to Hand 4-0 in Madison Monday afternoon. With the loss, West Haven fell to 3-9 on the year and now must win five of its last eight games to play in the postseason.
West Haven's Nick Flammia and Hand's Jake Crawford were locked in a pitcher's duel through four innings as the game was scoreless. The Tigers finally broke through in the fifth, scoring four times for all the runs they would need.
The big blast for the Tigers came off the bat of Cam Fitzgerald, who blasted a three-run homer. Phoenix Billings also delivered a run-scoring single in the inning.
Crawford limited West Haven to just four hits in the game, two coming off the bat of Juan Contreras.
Flammia allowed just five hits in the loss for West Haven.
Guilford rallies past Westies
Indians win 13-8 with late surge
By MIKE MADERA
Westie Blue
(May 2, 2018) - The schedule is starting to dwindle away and time is not on the side of the West Haven baseball team in its hopes of playing in the postseason. Rallying with four runs in the sixth inning, West Haven could not build off that and watched Guilford score five times in the seventh in a 13-8 Guilford win over the Westies at Piurek Field in West Haven Wednesday afternoon.
With the loss, West Haven fell to 3-10 on the year and will need to win five of its last seven games to play in the postseason.
West Haven fell to Guilford, May 2, 2018. Photo courtesy of Todd Dandelske.
Nick Flammia drove in three runs and scored once, Juan Contreras drove in a pair and scored once, and Mike Vitolo also scored twice in the loss.
Contreras pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowing eight runs, two of which were earned, on nine hits, while walking five and striking out two. Chris Cavallaro gave up two hits and two runs, before Mike Vitolo closed the contest, allowing three runs on five hits.
Trailing 4-0 in the third inning, West Haven evened the contest. With two outs, Dom Cambino singled to right, Vitolo walked, and Flammia reached on an error to score pinch-runner Derek Baker.
Contreras followed with a double to center to score Vitolo and Flammia, before a double by Dennis Gamester drove in Contreras with the equalizer.
West Haven fell to Guilford, May 2, 2018. Photo courtesy of Todd Dandelske.
Guilford sandwiched single runs in the fourth and sixth innings around two in the fifth for an 8-4 lead, before West Haven rallied to even the game in the sixth.
Brett Gradoia was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, Cavallaro walked, and Diego Mahecha walked one out later to load the bases. With two outs, Vitolo walked to force in a run, and Flammia doubled to center to clear the bases and even the game at eight.
Westies thump O'Brien Tech
Indians win 13-8 with late surge
By MIKE MADERA
Westie Blue
(May 4, 2018) - Needing every win possible, the West Haven baseball team checked one off the list. Behind three hits and three runs batted in from Juan Contreras, West Haven topped O'Brien Tech 11-1 in a game stopped after five innings due to the mercy rule Friday evening at Piurek Field.
West Haven (4-10) received solid offensive production with Nick Flammia and Brett Gradoia each having two hits and two runs batted in, with Flammia also scoring three runs.
Mike Vitolo went the distance, allowing three hits and one unearned run, while walking two and striking out nine.
Trailing 1-0, West Haven evened the game in the bottom of the first when Flammia scored on a balk.
The Westies took a 4-1 lead in the third as Vitolo and Flammia reached on errors, Contreras walked to load the bases, and Vitolo scored on a passed ball. Gradoia followed with a double to score Flammia and Contreras for a 4-1 lead.
Contreras hit a two-run single in the fourth to score Mahecha and Cambino for a 6-1 lead, before West Haven ended the game in the fifth.
Gradoia doubled, Chris Cavallaro was hit by a pitch, Mark Basta reached on an error to score Gradoia, Vitolo walked to force in Cavallaro, and Flammia tripled to score Mahecha and Cambino. Contreras ended he game when his single scored Flammia for an 11-1 lead.
ND sweeps Westies
Green Knights post 4-1 victory
By MIKE MADERA
Westie Blue
(May 7, 2018) - The season is quickly slipping away from the West Haven baseball team. Needing four wins to qualify for the postseason and only a handful of games remaining in the regular season, wins are of utter importance.
That first win did not come Monday afternoon as West Haven fell to cross-town rival Notre Dame for the second time this season, 4-1, at Quigley Stadium in West Haven.
With the loss, West Haven fell to 4-11 on the year, and now needs four wins in its final five games to play in the postseason.
West Haven had only three hits in the game, coming off the bats of Juan Contreras, Dennis Gamester, and Brett Gradoia.
Nick Flammia went the distance on the hill for West Haven, allowing two earned runs on five hits, while walking one and striking out four.
West Haven picked up its first hits of the game in the fifth inning as Gamester led off with a single, Gradoia followed with a single, and after Chrs Cavallaro moved Gamester to third on afly ball to right, Gamester scored on a ground out by Mike Tonnucci.
Contreras singled to open the seventh and Cavallaro walked with two outs to put a pair of runners on, but West Haven could not capitalize.
On the Brink
Postseason on edge after loss to Cheshire
By MIKE MADERA
Westie Blue
(May 9, 2018) - The postseason hopes of the West Haven baseball team are on life support. With four games remaining in the regular season, the Westies are left with no margin of error after falling to Cheshire 5-0 Wednesday evening at Piurek Field in West Haven.
Chris Cavallaro (2) and the Westies fell against Cheshire, May 9, 2018. Photo courtesy of Todd Dandelske.
With the loss, West Haven fell to 4-12 on the year and will need to win all four remaining games to play in the postseason.
In West Haven's latest loss, the team managed only two hits, singles by Mike Vitolo and Chris Cavallaro.
Vitolo also pitched a complete game for the Westies, allowing only four hits and two earned runs, despite walking 10 batters.
West Haven has now scored just one run in its last two games - both losses- as it looks to qualify for postseason play.
Hunter Axelrod (8) and the Westies fell against Cheshire, May 9, 2018. Photo courtesy of Todd Dandelske.
The Westies had two runners on in the first four innings - Cavallaro on a dropped third strike and Vitolo with a single - but both were erased with double plays.
After Cheshire scored three in the top of the fifth, West Haven put the tying run on base in the bottom of the inning when Brett Gradoia reached on an error and Cavallaro singled with two outs. After a walk to Mike Tonucci loaded the bases, Cheshire escaped without any further damage.
West Haven never threatened again, going down in order in each of the last two innings.
Westies fall to Lyman Hall
Postseason hopes over
By MIKE MADERA
Westie Blue
(May 11, 2018) - The postseason hopes for the West Haven baseball team have come to an end. Scoring twice in the bottom of the sixth to break a tie, Lyman Hall defeated West Haven 5-4 in Wallingford Friday to end any hopes of the Westies playing in the postseason.
West Haven's third straight loss dropped the team to 4-13 on the season.
Nick Flammia pitched five innings of six-hit ball, allowing three runs, while striking out four and walking six. Juan Contreras pitched one inning, allowing two runs on two hits, walking one and striking out one.
Flammia led the offense with three hits, one run scored and one run batted in, while Mark Basta and Dennis Gamester each had a pair of hits.
West Haven took a 1-0 lead in the third inning when Flammia singled with one out, stole second, and scored on a two-out single by Gamester.
After Lyman Hall evened the game in the third and took a 3-1 lead in the fifth, the Westies tied the game at three with two runs in the sixth,
Mike Tonucci reached on an error, Basta singled, and both advanced on Diego Mahecha's grounder.
Mike Vitolo grounded out to plate Tonucci and Flammia tripled to score Basta. Flammia was left stranded as West Haven could not take the lead.
Lyman Hall scored two more runs in the sixth, before West Haven rallied in the seventh. Gamester singled, moved to second on a wild pitch, third on a single by Cavallaro, and scored when Hunter Axelrod reached on an error.
Hamden blanks Westies
WH held to three hits in 6-0 loss
By MIKE MADERA
Westie Blue
(May 14, 2018) - With the postseason no longer an option, the West Haven baseball team is looking to close the regular season on a positive note. Unfortunately for the Westies, Hamden had other ideas.
Playing for postseason positioning, Hamden scored four times in the third inning and two more in the sixth, and defeated West Haven 6-0 at Piurek Field in West Haven Monday evening.
Mike Vitolo and West Haven fell against Hamden, May 14, 2018. Photo courtesy of Todd Dandelske.
West Haven (4-14) managed only three hits in the loss, singles by Chris Cavallaro and Diego Mahecha, and a double by Dennis Gamester.
Hamden, on the other hand, managed 10 hits and took advantage of four West Haven walks to score its six runs.
Mike Vitolo started for West Haven and took the loss as he allowed six runs, five earned, on 10 hits, while walking four and striking out three in 6 1/3 innings of work.
Chris Cavallaro and West Haven fell against Hamden, May 14, 2018. Photo courtesy of Todd Dandelske.
Tyler Osborne, who also had two hits for Hamden, tossed a complete-game three-hitter, striking out four, while not walking a batter.
Osborne was in control from the start, setting down the first 12 West Haven batters he faced until Gamester led off the fifth with a double. Cavallaro hit a one-out single to left to put runners on the corners, but Osborne used a double play ball to escape without any damage.
Mahecha hit a one-out single to right in the sixth, but was left stranded, before West Haven went down in order in the seventh.
WH tops Platt Tech
Flammia tosses gem in 4-2 victory
By MIKE MADERA
Westie Blue
(May 18, 2018) - The West Haven baseball team picked up its fifth victory of the season with a 4-2 victory over Platt Tech at Piurek Field in West Haven Friday afternoon.
Nick Flammia was the key to the game for the Westies as he tossed a complete game five-hitter, allowing one earned run, and striking out six. Flammia did not walk a batter.
Nick Flammia (7) pitches against Platt Tech, May 18, 2018. Photo courtesy of Todd Dandelske.
Diego Mahecha scored twice, and Flammia helped his own cause with two hits and two runs batted in.
Trailing 1-0, West Haven evened the game at one in the third inning as Mahecha singled and moved to third on a single by Mike Vitolo. Flammia's sacrifice fly to center evened the game at one.
Ty Reeves against Platt Tech, May 18, 2018. Photo courtesy of Todd Dandelske.
West Haven took a 2-1 lead in the fourth as Brett Gradoia was hit by a pitch with one out, moved to second on Chris Cavallaro's ground out, and third when Ty Reeves reached on an error. As a part of a double steal, Gradoia scored to give West Haven a 2-1 lead.
The Westies gave Flammia some room to work with, scoring twice in the fifth for a 4-1 advantage.
Mahecha reached on an error to open the inning, and scored when Vitolo also reached on an error. Flammia tripled to center to score Vitolo, but was left stranded.
West Haven's Joe Santos had one hit and scored twice for Platt Tech in the loss.
Season Over
Hand thumps Westies in finale
By MIKE MADERA
Westie Blue
(May 21, 2018) - The season has come to an end for the West Haven baseball team. Facing one of the top teams in the state, West Haven had no answers for Hand-Madison in a 14-3 loss in a game stopped after five innings due to the mercy rule on Senior Night at Piurek Field in West Haven Monday evening.
West Haven against Hand, May 22, 2018. Photo courtesy of Todd Dandelske.
With the loss, West Haven dropped five of its last six games and closed a disappointing season at 5-15.
Senior Mike Vitolo closed his high school career with two hits, one run batted in, and one run scored. Sophomore Chris Cavallaro had one hit and drove in two runs.
Hand took control of the game with six runs in the second inning, two more in the third, and five in the fourth for a 13-0 lead.
West Haven against Hand, May 22, 2018. Photo courtesy of Todd Dandelske.
West Haven did not help the pitching staff as the Westies committed six errors, leading to nine unearned runs.
The Westies scored their only runs of the game in the final inning. Ty Reeves started the rally when he was hit by a pitch, and moved to third on a pair of wild pitches.
Brian Dupre and Diego Mahecha were also hit by pitches to load the bases, before Vitolo forced in a run when he was hit by a pitch. Cavallaro then hit a two-out single to center to score a pair.
Chris Cavallaro (2) hits against Hand, May 22, 2018. Photo courtesy of Todd Dandelske.
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