The season has come to a close for the Savin Rock Seadogs 14U baseballs team as the Seadogs finished third in the league’s 12-team tournament last weekend in Killingworth. Savin Rock finished 11-8 on the season.
The Seadogs opened the tournament with a 10-3 victory over TCB Purple at Painter Park in West Haven. Ryan Robinson picked up the win in relief, not allowing a run on two hits in 2 1/3 innings of work. Haygen Axelrod, Jesse Buonocore and Evan Jones each led the offense with two hits apiece.
Savin Rock took a 2-0 lead in the first as Ray Gilbert and Axelrod led off with walks. After a sacrifice by Jones, Buonocore delivered Gilbert with a single, and Axelrod scored on an error.
Trailing 3-2 in the second, Savin Rock took the lead for good with a pair of runs. Michael Madera opened the inning with a walk, stole second, moved to third on a bunt single by Chase Supan, and scored on a ground out by Robinson. Supan later scored on a wild pitch for a 4-3 lead.
The Seadogs put the game away with three runs in the third and three more in the fifth. In the third, Buonocore tripled to score Axelrod and Jones, who had each singled, before Buonocore scored on a passed ball.
The Seadogs advanced to the winner’s bracket final with a 5-3 victory over the Shoreline Breakers. Trailing 2-0, Savin Rock scored five times in the sixth inning to pull out the victory.
Madera started the game-winning rally with a walk, Robinson followed with a single, and both moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by Anthony Constantinople. After Fabrizio Nunez walked to load the bases, Gilbert walked to score Madera, and Axelrod singled to score Robinson and Nunez for a 3-2 lead. Jones followed with a single to score Gilbert, and Axelrod scored on an error for a 5-2 lead.
Buonocore went the distance on the hill, allowing one earned run on two hits, while striking out two and walking six.
The Seadogs faced Boys of Summer in the winner’s bracket final immediately after the win over the Breakers, but could not muster enough offense in a 9-0 loss. The Seadogs had just five hits in the game off the bats of Jones, Buonocore, Josh Trager, Madera, and Constantinople.
Savin Rock made an uncharacteristic six errors in the contest, allowing five unearned runs. The Seadogs only had two scoring opportunities in the game as singles by Buonocore and Trager had two on in the second, but both were left stranded. In the fourth, Axelrod and Cam Cruz sandwiched walks around a single by Jones to load the bases, but all were left stranded.
Needing a win to stay alive and advance to the championship round, the Seadogs fell to Madison 13-6 Sunday afternoon to end the summer season. Ten players had at least one hit in a 13-hit attack with Gilbert, Axelrod and Jones leading the way with a pair of hits apiece.
The Seadogs had plenty of chances to score in the contest, but could not get the big hit. Supan walked and Madera singled in the second, but were left stranded, Cruz and Supan singled in the fourth, but were left on base, and Jones singled and Buonocore walked in the seventh, but neither advanced.
Savin Rock tied the game at one in the third as Gilbert and Axelrod singled with two outs, and Gilbert scored on the front end of a double steal.
The Seadogs scored five times in the sixth, but it was not enough. Robinson, Constantinople, and Nunez opened the inning with singles to load the bases, Gilbert walked to force in Robinson, Axelrod doubled to score Constantinople and Nunez, Jones singled to score Gilbert, and Buonocore doubled to score Axelrod.
With a chance to extend the inning with the bases loaded and no outs, a fielder’s choice and a double play ended the threat.