The spring sports season got off to an earlier start than usual this year. For the West Haven baseball and girls lacrosse teams, the start of the season was met with mixed results.
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.
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.
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 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.
Looking to get the season started on the right foot, the West Haven girls lacrosse team could not rally and fell to Foran 13-12 Saturday evening at Ken Strong Stadium in the season opener for both teams.
The Westies could not contain Foran’s Sam O’Neill, who scored eight goals for the Lions. Hailey McGinnis and Hayley Byers each scored twice for Foran.
Madisyn Crotta and Mackenzie Holy each scored three times and added an assist apiece for the Westies, while Lexi Burzynski and Keegan Riccio each scored twice. Shannon Siclari and Celina Condon scored one goal apiece.
Nicole Gaston made 14 saves in the loss for West Haven.
The Westies got off to a good start in the game, taking a 7-6 lead at the half. With the game even at nine, Foran scored the next three times before the Westies came back. Goals by Celina Condon and Crotta got West Haven within a goal, but it was not enough.
The Westies started the game in impressive fashion, taking an early lead, before Foran rallied back.
West Haven took a 1-0 lead with 19 minutes, 46 seconds left in the first half as Holy scored off an assist from Crotta. Just 1:23 later, the lead was 2-0 when Siclari scored. When Holy tallied again 41 seconds later, the Westies held a 3-0 lead.
Foran answered with the next two goals as O’Neill and Byers tallied to get the Lions within 3-2.
West Haven again got in the scoring column as Riccio scored with 12:50 to go in the half for a 4-2 advantage. After Foran answered 39 seconds later, Burzynski scored for a 5-3 lead with 10:35 remaining in the half.
O’Neill then evened the game for the Lions with the next two goals, the latter with 6:46 left in the half. Holy put West Haven back on top 22 seconds later, and Burzynski increased the margin to 7-5 with 3:56 left in the opening half.
The Westies again took a three-goal lead with the first two goals of the second half. Riccio scored at the 23:40 mark and Crotta followed 3:41 later for a 9-6 advantage.
Foran then stormed back to take over the game, knotting the contest with 13:43 to go in regulation. O’Neill then scored the next two goals for Foran, giving the Lions an 11-9 lead with 7:42 remaining.
Condon scored from close range with 7:20 left to get West Haven within a goal, but even two more goals by Crotta were not enough in the loss.
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