The West Haven Post 7 1 American Legion baseball team concluded the regular season with a 15-3 record and Zone 2 title, before winning the first two games of the state tournament.
West Haven Post 71 improved to 9-1 with a 5-3 victory over Hamden Post 88. Just two days after suffering its first defeat of the season at Hamden, West Haven rode the pitching of Anthony Constantinople to the victory.
Constantinople went 5.1 innings, allowing two earned runs on eight hits, while walking two and striking out three. Dan Izzo pitched the final 1.2 innings, allowing just one hit and striking out two.
Trailing 1-0, West Haven tied the game in the second inning when Chase Supan and Evan Jones hit one-out singles, before Supan later scored on a passed ball.
Post 71 took the lead for good in the third with three runs for a 4-1 advantage. Izzo started the rally with a two-out single, stole second and scored on Ray Gilbert’s single to center.
After Anthony Rubin was hit by a pitch to put a pair of runners on, Supan singled to right to score Gilbert. Rubin then scored on a wild pitch for a 4-1 lead.
West Haven dropped its second in three games along with the series in a 5-2 loss to Hamden at Piurek Field in West Haven. With the loss, Post 71 fell to 9-2 on the year.
Jack Hay took the loss on the hill for the Westies, tossing 5.1 innings. Hay allowed two earned runs on six hits, while walking two and striking out three.
Despite taking a 1-0 lead in the first, the game was defined by missed opportunities for the Westies. While Anthony Rubin’s sacrifice fly scored Tyler Jones for a 1-0 lead, Post 71 got just the one run despite the first three runners reaching.
The Westies put a pair of runners on in the second when Jacob Fowler was hit by a pitch and Mike Madera reached on an error, but neither came around to score.
After Hamden scored a pair of unearned runs in the third, West Haven evened the game in the bottom of the inning when Tyler Jones left off with a triple to left and scored on Gilbert’s single. Gilbert stole second, but was left stranded in scoring position.
Hamden took a 4-2 lead in the fourth, before West Haven went down in order the next two innings. Trailing 5-2 in the sixth, Evan Jones hit a one-out single, but was stranded at second.
Post 71 had one final opportunity in the seventh as Madera walked with one out and Izzo followed with a single, but both were left stranded in West Haven’s second loss of the season.
West Haven lost its second in a row and third in four games with a 3-2 loss at Madison. Haygen Axelrod went the distance for the Westies as he allowed just four hits and three earned runs, while walking five and striking out one.
A two-run single by Gianni Gambardella in the third gave the Westies a 2-0 lead, but a two-out rally in the fourth propelled Madison to score three runs on two walks and two hits.
The Westies had one final opportunity to even the game in the seventh as K.J. Harp and Gilbert singled with one out, but West Haven stranded a pair in scoring position.
Post 71 got back on the winning track with a 9-3 home victory over Madison to improve to 10-3 on the season. Harp led the offense with three hits, while Tyler Jones and Cam Cruz each had a pair of hits.
Supan picked up the win, tossing five innings and allowing two runs. The West Haven starter walked three and struck out five.
After Madison took a 1-0 lead in the first, West Haven took the lead for good with four runs in the first and two in each of the second and third innings for an 8-1 lead.
In the first, Gilbert’s sacrifice fly scored Gambardella, Supan singled to score Gambardella, and Evan Jones singled to score Harp and Supan.
Another sacrifice fly by Gilbert in the second scored Dan Izzo, before Tyler Jones scored on an error. Tyler Jones reached on an error in the third to score a pair, and Harp singled to score Tyler Jones in the sixth for a 9-2 lead.
Post 71 took the series from Madison and improved to 11-3 with a 13-4 road victory. Izzo and Harp each had a pair of hits, with Izzo driving in three runs. Tyler Jones, Rubin, Haygen Axelrod and Madera each drove in a pair.
Post 71 took a 2-0 lead in the second inning as Supan singled, Axelrod walked with one out, and Madera singled to score Supan, before Tyler Jones walked with the bases loaded to score Axelrod.
West Haven took a 4-1 lead in the third as Harp singled, Rubin and Supan walked to load the bases, and Axelrod reached on a one-out error to score Harp. Madera grounded out to score Rubin for a 4-1 advantage.
The Westies increased the lead to 6-1 in the fourth as Tyler Jones reached on an error, and scored on a double by Gilbert, before Gilbert scored on a ground out by Rubin.
After Madison got within 6-4 in the fifth, Post 71 put the game away with seven runs in the sixth for a 13-4 lead.
Izzo singled and scored on a double by Tyler Jones, who scored when Harp reached on an error for an 8-4 lead. Rubin singled to score Harp, Axelrod singled to score Rubin, and Izzo doubled to clear the bases, scoring Cruz, Axelrod and Madera for a 13-4 lead.
Tyler Jones pitched the first five innings, allowing four runs on eight hits, while striking out three. Izzo pitched the final two innings, allowing one hit, walking three and striking out two.
West Haven improved to 12-3 with a 1-0 forfeit victory over Branford Tuesday evening as Branford could not field enough players.
After a slow start, West Haven used a nine-run fourth inning to post a 16-3 road victory over Branford in a game stopped after five innings. The Westies improved to 13-3.
Izzo, Rubin, Constantinople and Cruz led the way with two hits apiece. Gilbert and Axelrod each drove in three runs, while Cruz and Izzo delivered two.
Hay picked up the win for Post 71, tossing a two-hitter. Hay did not allow an earned run, while walking five and striking out five.
Trailing 2-0 after a pair of West Haven errors in the first, the Westies evened the game in the third. Harp reached on an error and scored on a triple by Izzo, before Izzo scored on Gilbert’s sacrifice fly to center.
West Haven broke the game open with nine runs in the fourth. Izzo singled to score Madera, Gilbert doubled to score Cruz and Harp, Rubin singled in Izzo, and Evan Jones singled to score Gilbert for a 7-2 lead. Axelrod followed with a single to score Rubin and Supan, and Cruz doubled to score Evan Jones and Axelrod.
Post 71 put the game away with five runs in the fifth, with three of the runs coming on bases loaded walks.
The Westies improved to 14-3 with a 13-3 six inning victory over Branford to complete the series sweep. Constantinople and Joe Malangone combined on a 7-hitter in the win, with Constantinople picking up the victory in four innings worked.
Axelrod led the offense with three hits and two runs batted in. Harp had two hits, two runs scored, and three runs batted in, Izzo had two hits and two runs batted in, and Madera added a pair of hits.
West Haven took a 3-0 lead in the first when Tyler Jones singled, Gilbert reached on an error, Harp singled to score Jones, and Cruz reached on an error to score Gilbert and Harp.
Post 71 pulled away with five in the second for an 8-0 lead. Madera and Tyler Jones sandwiched walks around a single by Izzo to load the bases, Harp singled in a pair, Izzo scored on a wild pitch, Axelrod drove in a run with a single, and Supan scored on an error.
Leading 8-1, Post 71 added a run in the fourth when Constantinople reached on a fielder’s choice to score Cruz.
With a 9-3 lead, Post 71 put the game away with four in the bottom of the sixth. Supan scored on a balk, Axelrod singled to score Cruz, and Izzo hit a two-run double to end the game.
West Haven closed the regular season with an 11-8 victory over North Haven. With the victory, the Westies finished the regular season with a 15-3 record and Zone 2 regular season champions.
Harp led the Westies with three hits and three runs scored, while Tyler Jones, Gilbert, Rubin and Evan Jones each had a pair of hits. Gilbert also drove in four runs.
Post 71 took a 4-0 lead in the first as Harp singled, Izzo was hit by a pitch, and both scored on a double by Tyler Jones. Gilbert singled to score Tyler Jones, and Evan Jones hit into a fielder’s choice to score Gilbert.
After North Haven scored in the second, West Haven increased the lead to 7-1 in the bottom of the inning with three more runs. Madera and Harp opened the inning with singles, Tyler Jones walked with one out, and Gilbert was hit by a pitch to score Madera. Rubin hit into a fielder’s choice to score Harp and Jones for the 7-1 lead.
The Westies added four more in the third. Evan Jones and Cruz led off with singles, Madera hit into a fielder’s choice to score Jones, Izzo hit a run-scoring single, and Gilbert singled to score Harp and Izzo.
North Haven scored two in the fourth and five in the fifth to get within 11-8, but West Haven held on for the win.
West Haven opened the state tournament with a 4-1 victory over Moosup in the first round of POD G play. Supan tossed a complete game 3-hitter, allowing an unearned run, while walking one and striking out six.
Tyler Jones led the offense with three hits, while Harp drove in a pair of runs.
Trailing 1-0 in the second, West Haven evened the game when Izzo drew a bases loaded walk to score Supan, who reached on a fielder’s choice.
Post 71 took the lead for good with three runs in the sixth. Evan Jones reached on an error, Cruz was hit by a pitch, and Tyler Jones singled to score Evan Jones for a 2-1 lead. With the bases loaded, Harp singled to score Cruz and Tyler Jones for a 4-1 advantage.
West Haven advanced to the final of POD G play with a 4-3 victory over Trumbull at Piurek Field. Gambardella was the story of the game as he tossed a complete game 5-hitter, allowing three earned runs, while walking one and striking out 11.
After Trumbull tied the game with three runs in the sixth, West Haven answered immediately in the bottom of the inning to take the lead for good.
Harp reached on an error, moved to third on a sacrifice by Rubin, and scored on a sacrifice fly to center by Supan. Gambardella needed just nine pitches to retire the side in order in the seventh to send West Haven to the final.
West Haven took a 1-0 lead in the second as Rubin singled, moved to second on an error on the play, third on a sacrifice, and scored on a passed ball.
Post 71 increased the lead to 3-0 in the third when Tyler Jones led off with a walk, and Gilbert was hit by a pitch with one out. With runners on the corners, Tyler Jones scored on a fielder’s choice by Harp, before Harp stole second and third, and scored on an error on the throw to third.