The West Haven softball team was coming off a loss to East Haven and was looking to improve its playoff seeding heading into last week. Mission accomplished with four, straight victories. On Monday, the Westies pounded 15 hits in a 16-3 victory over the Branford Hornets. Ivy Santos had three hits, including a home run and five RBIs, Makenna White had three hits and four RBIs and Veronica Lynn had three hits and three RBIs to lead the offense. Santos pitched the first, two innings and did not allow a hit while Kasey Marron pitched three innings in relief, allowing three runs on five hits. The Blue Devils put this one out of reach early when they jumped out to a 9-0 lead in the first inning.
There was a little less offense on Tuesday evening but that didn’t impact the Westies with Ivy Santos pitching a complete game shutout, allowing only four hits in a 1-0 defeat of the Sacred Heart Academy Sharks. The Blue Devils would get the only run they would need in the first inning when Kasey Marron singled, was sacrificed to second by Veronica Lynn, moved to third on a single by Kailey Carrano and then scored when she came home on a double steal.
On Thursday evening, the Westies saluted their seniors and then put up double digits in the first inning when they scored ten runs on their way to a 19-6 triumph over the Hillhouse Academics at Biondi Field. Kailey Carrano had three hits and five RBIs while Veronica Lynn had three hits and two RBIs and Donifia Thompson had a triple and two RBIs to pace West Haven. Kasey Marron pitched a hitless first three innings, striking out seven to get the victory. Marron is 6-0 on the season.
On Friday afternoon, the Westies traveled to face the Morgan Huskies and captured their fourth straight win to finish the regular season with a 14-6 record. The girls let the offense do the talking in a 16-1, mercy shortened game. Makenna White led the Blue Devils with three hits, three RBIs and three runs scored while Ivy Santos and Kailey Carrano each had two hits and two RBIs. Santos also pitched a complete game allowing four hits and striking out nine Huskies.
The Westies faced the Indians in North Haven on Wednesday evening in the SCC Tournament and if victorious will play at Biondi Field tonight. The CIAC pairings will also be announced on Thursday.
The baseball team needed to secure one, more victory to qualify for postseason play, when it traveled to Rochford Field in Hamden to face the Green Dragons. After a scoreless first, four innings, the Dragons took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the fifth. The Westies rose to the occasion getting three runs in the top of the sixth to take a 3-2 lead. The boys got things going when Ty Reeves singled, John Cambino doubled and then Brett Gradoia brought in both runners with a single down the third base line. Nick Zaino walked to put two on for Pete Richetelli. Richetelli took a 0-2 pitch down the right field line for a double, scoring Gradoia to give the Blue Devils the lead. Mike Vitolo pitched a complete game, allowing two runs on seven hits to earn the victory on the mound.
On Tuesday evening, the Westies paid tribute to their seniors and then went out and defeated the Platt Tech Panthers, 8-2, at Piurek Field. After spotting the Panthers a 2-0 lead, the Blue Devils got one back in the second inning when Ty Reeves tripled and came in on a Brett Gradoia sacrifice fly to make it 2-1. In the third, the boys took a 4-2 lead when Mario Kiaunis singled, Dom Cambino walked, Tim McCarthy reached on an error allowing Kiaunis to score, Sean Jefferson reached on an error to load the bases and Reeves delivered a single to score Cambino and McCarthy. The Westies tacked on four, more runs in the sixth inning to solidify the win. Jefferson got the victory on the mound, allowing just one earned run while giving up nine hits.
On Wednesday afternoon, the Blue Devils headed to Madison to face the Hand Tigers. The Westies took a 1-0 lead in the first inning but then watched the Tigers even the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the inning and added 12 runs over the next four innings on their way to a 13-3 loss. Ty Reeves started on the mound and was relieved by Juan Contreras in the fifth inning.
On Friday afternoon, the boys bounced back with a 7-1 victory over the Career Panthers at East Shore Athletic Complex. Mike Kalander allowed a run in the first inning and then shut down the Panthers the rest of the way, allowing four hits and striking out five Panthers. Mike Vitolo had two hits and three RBIs to lead West Haven. Sean Jefferson and John Cambino each had two hits while Brett Gradoia and Dennis Gamester each had RBI doubles in the victory.
The Blue Devils finished their regular season schedule with a trip to Branford to finally make up a three-time postponed game against the Hornets. Branford jumped on the Westies for three runs in the first inning for a 3-0 lead. The boys did get two back on a Tim McCarthy hit in the fifth but the Hornets tacked on three in the bottom of the inning to defeat the Blue Devils, 6-2. McCarthy had two hits and two RBIs to lead the Westie offense while Sean Jefferson and Mike Vitolo split time on the mound.
The girls lacrosse team took a big step in trying to qualify for postseason play with a rally in the closing minutes of its game at North Haven on Monday afternoon. Down by a score of 10-7 as the final minutes were winding down, Gabi Prisco scored four times, including the game-winner with 17 seconds left for a 11-10 victory. Prisco had five goals on the day while Mary McDaniel added three goals, Madisyn Crotta had two goals and Amani Cayo scored a goal in the win. Nicole Gaston made six saves in net for West Haven.
On Tuesday evening, West Haven visited the Shelton Gaels and came up short in a 13-9 loss. Tied at 6-6 heading into the second half, the Gaels were able to outscore the Westies, 7-3, down the stretch to secure the win. Mary McDaniel had four goals and Madisyn Crotta had two goals to lead the Blue Devil offense. Gabi Prisco, Shannon Siclari and Mackenzie Holy each added a goal in the loss. Nicole Gaston made nine stops between the pipes.
On Friday night, the Westies celebrated their seniors before the game and then jumped all over the Foran Lions, scoring 15 first half goals on their way to an 18-10 victory, helping them clinch a postseason berth in the CIAC playoffs. Gabi Prisco won the first four face-offs of the game and proceeded to help convert each into a goal for a 4-0 lead just 1:44 into the game. Prisco scored six goals and added five assists to lead the Westies while Mary McDaniel, who was hobbled by a pregame, hamstring injury, gutted out her Senior Night and finished with a hat trick. Madisyn Crotta also had three goals while Kailin Kyle, Lauren Bernardo, Kaitlynn Cooke, Annalise Depino, Mackenzie Holy and Keegan Riccio all had goals in the playoff clinching victory. Nicole Gaston had 10 saves between the pipes.
On Saturday morning, the Westies defeated the Amity Spartans, 7-6, behind the offense of Gabi Prisco with four goals and Madisyn Crotta with three goals. The Blue Devils took a 5-4 halftime lead and were able to hang on to get the win in Woodbridge. Nicole Gaston made eight saves in goal for West Haven.
The girls finished their regular season with a game at Foran this week and will wait to see who they draw in the CIAC playoffs when the pairings were announced on Wednesday.
The boys lacrosse team had a Monday afternoon clash with Jonathan Law and scored five first quarter goals on its way to a 12-3 victory over the Eagles. Niko Kyle led West Haven with four goals and three assists while Dylan Salvatore had four goals and an assist in the win. Joe Consorte added two goals and Nick Massaro added a goal and three assists for the Westies. Kevin Moriarty and PJ Patton split time between the pipes and combined for 16 saves.
On Wednesday evening, the boys said goodbye to their seniors but allowed the Lyman Hall Trojans to build a 5-1 first quarter lead on their way to an 11-6 win over the Blue Devils. The Westies got goals from Logan Cole, Justin Burbank, Niko Kyle and a goal from goaltender Kevin Moriarty.
On Friday night, the Westies closed out their regular season with an 8-6 loss to the Green Dragons in Hamden and will now wait to see who they will play in the CIAC playoffs. The pairings are to be announced Thursday and the Westies should be playing on Saturday in a qualifying round game.
The boys tennis team opened last week with a battle against cross-town rival Notre Dame and lost, 4-3, to the Green Knights. In singles action, Oreo Olowe won, 6-0, 6-2, while in doubles play, the Westies got victories from Jeremy Tammaro/Albert Dimaisip, 6-0, 6-0 and Nash Noble/Julian Thomas won, 6-4, 6-1.
The Blue Devils bounced back with a 6-1 victory over the Hamden Green Dragons on Wednesday afternoon. In singles, James Delgado won, 6-2, 7-6, Joseph Delgado won, 6-0, 6-0, Oreo Olowe took his matc,h 6-3, 6-2 and Corey Smith was victorious, 6-4, 6-2. While in doubles, the Westies got victories from Jeremy Tammaro/Albert Dimaisip, 6-4, 6-3 and Julian Thomas/Nash Noble, 6-2, 6-3.
The girls tennis team defeated the Platt Tech Panthers, 5-2 ,on Tuesday afternoon behind wins by Skylar Serenson, Shea Clarke and Ariana Nguyen in singles action and Kiara Walker/Rua Osman and Jasmine Brown/Kaitlyn Campos in doubles play.
On Wednesday, the Blue Devils defeated the Lyman Hall Trojans, 5-2. Evelyn Fabian won, 6-1, 6-1, Maggie Yeh took her match, 6-0, 6-1, Hannah Allen was victorious, 6-4, 6-2 and Paige Sheridan won, 6-0, 6-2 to help the Westies sweep singles action while Shea Clarke/Kiara Walker picked up the other win in doubles by a 6-1, 6-0 score.
The girls wrapped up their regular season with a 5-2 loss to the Foran Lions on Thursday at Painter Park. The Westies were swept in singles but got victories in doubles from the pairings of Skylar Serenson/Ariana Nguyen, 6-2, 6-2 and Rua Osman/Jasmine Brown, 8-5.