After starting the season with a pair of victories and not allowing a run in either contest, the West Haven baseball team suffered its first defeat of the season with a 14-2 drubbing at the hands of Amity at Piurek Field in West Haven. With the loss, West Haven fell to 2-1 on the season.
The Westies managed only four hits in the game, and defensively, were less than stellar with numerous miscues.
Trailing 1-0 in the first, West Haven evened the game when Tyler DeSanty led off with a single, Ray Gilbert walked, and Gianni Gambardella followed with another walk to load the bases.
Dylan Supan reached on a fielder’s choice to score DeSanty and load the bases, but, after a strikeout, Supan was picked off first for the second out. Corey Coggins was hit by a pitch to load the bases, but Amity escaped without any further damage.
Amity then blew the game open with six runs in the second and three more in the third. A pair of singles opened the second, and when the Westies could not get an out on an Amity sacrifice, the bases were loaded.
A double scored two runs for a 3-1 lead, before Amity received a two-out, two-run single for a 5-1 advantage. The Spartans received another two-run single in the inning, putting the Westies in a 7-1 hole.
Just one week after tossing a gem in a victory over cross-town rival Notre Dame, West Haven ace Gambardella was at it again.
The senior was near flawless in a 91-pitch effort as he allowed just three hits and struck out 16 in a 1-0 victory over Norwalk Monday afternoon at Piurek Field in West Haven. Gambardella did not walk a batter.
Gambardella finished his gem in style, striking out the first two batters of the seventh, before getting a fly ball out with a runner on in the seventh to clinch the victory.
The senior helped his own cause by driving in the only run of the game in the first inning.
After KJ Harp struck out, but reached on a dropped third strike, Gambardella drove in Harp with a long double to left. Gambardella was left stranded, but that was the only run needed as Norwalk could not muster an attack on the West Haven flamethrower.
Trailing by six runs, the West Haven baseball team looked as if it was going to go quietly in a tough Southern Connecticut Conference contest against Daniel Hand. West Haven rallied, but a long line drive by Harp with the winning runs on base in the seventh was snared for the final out in a 7-5 loss to the Tigers at Piurek Field.
After Hand took a 7-1 lead after four innings off West Haven starter Josh Trager, the Westies began to rally with two runs in the fifth and two more in the sixth to get within 7-5.
Trager went three innings, allowing six runs on just two hits, but he walked eight and struck out two. Chase Supan pitched the final four innings, allowing two hits, while walking two and striking out three.
West Haven improved to 5-2 on the year with a 3-2 Southern Connecticut Conference victory over Hamden.
Gambardella allowed his first runs of the year, but was again impressive as he struck out 10 and walked one in the victory. Gambardella allowed a pair of earned runs and improved to 3-0 on the year
Along with sophomores Gilbert and Cruz, Gambardella had a pair of hits. Gilbert drove in two runs as well.
Gambardella got out of a bases loaded jam in the first inning, before the Westies scored all the runs they needed in the top of the third inning.
Mia Rubirosa knows she is going to be one of the keys to her team’s success. Rubirosa was on the mark Tuesday afternoon.
Despite allowing eight hits and four earned runs, Rubirosa struck out 17 batters in a 7-4 victory over Lauralton Hall Tuesday afternoon in Milford. With the win, the Westies improved to 2-0 on the year.
Nine players had hits, with Gianna Carrano leading the way with a pair, in a 10-hit attack. Rubirosa drove in a pair, had a hit and scored once for the Westies.
After opening the season with a pair of victories, the West Haven softball team was looking for a signature win. The Westies may have received that win Monday afternoon.
Behind the 3-hit pitching of Rubirosa, West Haven defeated previously undefeated Sacred Heart Academy, 2-0, in Hamden. The West Haven pitcher walked one and struck out eight.
With the victory, West Haven improved to 3-0 on the year.
Rubirosa was also stellar at the plate where she had a pair of hits, including a home run, scored twice, and drove in a run.
Beurer and Burrows led the Westies with two hits apiece.
Scoring 10 times in the second inning, the Westies rolled to an easy 21-8 victory over Lyman Hall of Wallingford.
Rubirosa led the way for the Westies as she had two hits, scored four times, and drove in five runs. Beurer, had three hits, scored three runs, and drove in two. Burrows and Davey each drove in two runs and scored twice, while Petruzziello, Raccio, and Taylor Alfano each scored twice, and Natalie Gallo scored three times in the win.
Rubirosa was solid in the circle, going 4 1/3 innings, allowing three hits and one earned run. The Westie ace struck out six and walked just one batter.
After suffering its first loss of the season, the West Haven softball team has responded in fine fashion with the offense putting up 30 runs in the next two games.
The Westies won their second straight contest with a 9-6 road decision over Shelton. With the victory, West Haven improved to 5-1 on the year.
Mia Rubirosa led the Westies with three hits, three runs scored and a run batted in. Paige Beurer, Gianna Carrano, and Shyanne Raccio each had a pair of hits, with Carrano scoring twice and driving in a pair.
The West Haven girls lacrosse team fell to 0-2 with an 11-8 loss against Hamden at Ken Strong Stadium. Despite leading 6-5 at the half, the Westies could not pull out the victory.
Amber Militrano made nine saves in the loss, while her counterpart from Hamden Payten Webb finished with 20 saves.
Melissa Tsakonas led the offense with three goals and an assist, Cassidy Dalton and Olyvia O’Mara each had a pair of goals, and Julia Tsakonas added a goal.
The team picked up its first victory of the season and improved to 1-2 with a 10-3 victory over Jonathan Law. The Westies led 4-3 at the half and put the game away with a 6-0 second half run.
Olyvia O’Mara and Julia Tsakonas each scored three goals, Cassidy Dalton scored twice, and Emma Walker added a pair of assists. Madison Lentine had a goal and an assist in the win, while Melissa Tsakonas scored once.
West Haven held a 42-7 shot advantage in the contest. Amber Militrano made four saves for West Haven in the win.
Just one game after picking up its initial victory of the season, the West Haven girls lacrosse team fell to Stratford/Bunnell, 18-5, at Ken Strong Stadium.
Delaney Johnston led the Westies with three goals, while Melissa Tsakonas had a goal and two assists. Brooke Moscato scored once, Olyvia O’Mara added an assist, and Militrano made four saves in the loss.
West Haven improved to 2-3 with a 10-9 road victory over Lyman Hall. The Westies led 7-2 at the half and held on for the win.
O’Mara led the Westies with four goals and an assist, while Johnston, Melissa Tsakonas, and Lentine each scored twice. Lentine and Evangeliste each finished with a pair of assists.
Militrano made eight saves in the win.
West Haven won its third game of the year and second in a row with an 11-7 decision over Shelton on the road,
Militrano led the way with 20 saves in goal for West Haven as the Westies led 7-3 at the half.
Johnston led West Haven with four goals and two assists, while O’Mara had two goals and two assists. Brooke Moscato scored twice, and Melissa Tsakonas and Ava Evangeliste each added tallies.
Dalton and Walker each had two assists in the win.
The West Haven boys tennis team improved to 1-1 with a 5-2 victory over Wilbur Cross.
In singles play, West Haven’s top seed of Punar Garani defeated Yang In Kim 6-4, 6-4, second seed Miguel Torres of West Haven defeated Adam Sharqawe 6-4, 3-6, 6-0, and third-seeded Benjamin Sager of West Haven topped Lily Goren 6-0, 6-2. Fourth-seeded Sofia Bedoga Rose of Wilbur Cross defeated Brandon Sihaphong 6-2, 6-2.
In doubles play, top-seeded Antonio Mandania and Mario Berrios of Wilbur Cross defeated Robert Vets and Valentin Diaz 7-5, 4-6, 6-4. Second-seeded Johnny Chen and Yousef Khan of West Haven topped Roxanne Virtue and Kerry Fajardo of Cross 6-2, 6-1, and third-seeded Abdourahim Mbengue and Eshwar Balakumar of West Haven defeated Vera Kurczewski and Cassius Morgan-Cox of Wilbur Cross 6-3, 6-2.
West Haven fell to 1-2 with a 7-0 loss on the road against Hamden.
In singles action, Hamden’s top seed of Brian Oppenheim defeated Garani 6-3, 6-4. Second-seeded Quin Northrup topped West Haven’s Torres 6-1, 6-0, third-seeded Nolan Jermain was victorious over Sager 6-2, 7-6, and Josh Alexander topped West Haven’s Sihaphong 6-1, 6-2.
In doubles play, Hamden’s top seed of Ivan Jimenez and Paras Dodd defeated West Haven’s Diaz and Vets 6-3, 6-1. Kaustuv Mohanty and Keshav Menom topped West Haven’s Chen and Khan 6-1, 6-3, and Lucian Gaetjen and Anshul Deval defeated Mbengue and Balakumar of West Haven 6-4, 5-7, 7-4.
West Haven dropped its second straight match and fell to 1-3 with a 5-2 loss against Lyman Hall..
In singles play, Lyman Hall’s Jackson Mailhot defeated West Haven’s Garani 6-3, 6-3, Brady Campbell topped West Haven’s Torres 6-0, 6-2, Ashol Patel defeated Sager of West Haven 6-4, 7-5, and Caiden McManus defeated West Haven’s Sihaphong 7-5, 6-3.
In doubles play, Nathan Rininger and Joe Marrone of Lyman Hall defeated Diaz and Vets 6-3, 6-2.
West Haven won the last two doubles matches as Chen and Khan defeated Kevin Duong and Sean Collinghan 6-2, 6-3, and Balakumar and Mbengue defeated Pablo Dominguez Solis and Richard Yeung 6-4, 6-3.
The team snapped its two-match losing streak with a 6-1 victory over East Haven at West Haven High Wednesday afternoon. With the victory, the Westies improved to 2-3 on the year.
In singles action, top-seeded Garani defeated Oliver Kabel 6-3, 6-0, second-seeded Torres topped Victor Unabia 6-0, 6-2, Sager won over Kevin Phan 6-1, 6-2, and Sihaphong defeated Santiago Zapata 6-3, 9-7.
In doubles play, Thanh Noo and Shiv Patel of East Haven defeated top-seeded Chen and Khan 8-6, 4-6, 10-7. Second-seeded Balakumar and Vets of West Haven topped Greg Vera and Aedan Conners 6-1, 4-6, 6-1, and West Haven’s Javon Huang and Mbengue defeated Gustavo Flores-Soto and Mateo Romero 6-0, 6-1.
For all your West Haven sporting news throughout the year, including game articles by Mike Madera, highlights, photos and more, visit www.westieblue.com.
West Haven girls tennis is 4-2 after having zero wins last year. In singles play, freshman Sophie Mazuroski has won all 12 of her sets.