Baseball — The dreams of the 2019 baseball team playing for the seventh state title in school history came down to two big swings of the bat by a potent Berlin offense. Two Redcoat bases clearing doubles led to a pair of four-run innings as top-seeded Berlin beat Notre Dame, 8-3, in their Class L semifinal matchup at Palmer Field on June 4.
Notre Dame, the 12th-seed who beat Ellis Tech, Bethel, and Hand to make the semifinal stage, started strong with two runs in the top of the first inning courtesy of a Jack Milone double. Berlin’s bats woke up in the third, however.
Two singles and a walk loaded the bases for cleanup hitter Paul D’Amore and he promptly deposited a double that one hopped the right center field wall and Berlin took a 3-2 lead it would never relinquish. After Berlin took a 4-2 lead, The Green Knights inched within 4-3 when Max Ferrucci singled sharply to center field chasing home Colby Cusano.
However, Berlin tacked on four important insurance runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to take a 8-3 lead, which turned out to be the final score. Notre Dame’s season ends with a 15-10 record. This group won the Hammonassett Division in the SCC and three state tournament games to help the program reach their sixth semifinal appearance in the last 10 years.
Lacrosse — The Notre Dame lacrosse team was “this close” to playing for the first lacrosse state championship in school history. Instead, it was Weston, who emerged as 10-8 victors over the Green Knights in a Class M semifinal game on June 5.
It was the second win over Notre Dame this year for the Trojans. They won their season opener 9-6 over the Green Knights back on April 2. But, it wasn’t until the final minute that this semifinal game was decided. That’s how “close” Notre Dame was to keeping their season alive.
After falling behind 1-0, Notre Dame scored five of the next six goals, taking a 5-2 lead with a highlight reel goal from Zackary Hochman amongst those goals. Weston scored the last two goals of the half, but the Green Knights still led 5-4 at intermission.
Weston’s run eventually grew to six goals as they scored the first four goals of the second half taking an 8-5 lead. The lead stayed at three goals, 10-7, when Hochman made it 10-8 with four minutes left. Unfortunately for the Green Knight faithful, it was his last and the final goal of the 2019 season. It was the second straight year Notre Dame reached the semifinal round, and third in program history. The Green Knights end the season with a 12-8 record and qualified for the SCC Tournament for the first time since the 2010 season.
Golf — Tommy Rosati was Notre Dame’s first-ever participant in the newly-formed CIAC State Open Golf Championship. The event was held for the second time at the Black Hall CC on Saturday, June. Rosati fired an 8-over par 79 to finish in a 6th pace tie with Tyler Woodward from Coginchaug. Rosati made 13 pars and one birdie on his round.
His birdie came on his 17th hole of the day when he drilled a 10-footer. That concluded a 11-hole stretch he played in two-over. Rosati was one of 25 golfers to compete in the second-year event. Rosati, who will be matriculating at Sacred Heart University in the fall, led Notre Dame in scoring in 11 of the Green Knights 15 playing dates. Nine of those times he was the medalist having the lowest score of the day from either team. His seasonal scoring average was 37.58.
Track — West Haven native Jason Sawicki is the lone Notre Dame athlete to still be competing this spring. By virtue of his clearing 6-6 in the high jump during the spring track season, he qualified for the New Balance National Track Meet which will be held on Friday in Greensboro, NC.
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