Middletown splits doubleheader

MIDDLETOWN » Middletown’s Legion baseball team has hit its first skid of the season.

“No, it wasn’t a very good weekend,” said Middletown coach Tim D’Aquila after watching his team lose 6-1 to Cheshire Saturday then split a doubleheader with Guilford at Palmer Field Sunday afternoon.

“Our defense didn’t play well all weekend. In today’s second game we gave up two unearned runs. If we didn’t do that, then it’s 2-1 in the seventh and we have runners on base. You can’t give away extra outs against good teams and get away with it.”

After the 75ers won a sloppy 9-8 game on Tyler Popp’s walkoff double in the opener Sunday, the bats went silent in a 4-1 loss to Guilford (10-7) in the nightcap. Kevin Cargos held Middletown (124) to three hits, just one going to the seventh. Although Middletown got a couple of hits and a run in the seventh, the winners were cruising at 4-0 and were never in trouble.

Through six innings Cargos faced just 20 batters, two over the limit in a dominating performance. Mike Gaboury, who went four innings giving up two earned runs, took the loss.

Middletown has now lost three of its last four.

In the opener, a game marked by ineffective pitching on both sides, Middletown won it in the last inning on a leadoff walk to Ryan Famiglietti, a bunt, an intentional walk to Luke Garofalo and long RBI double to left center by Popp (2for-3).

Connor Cardi, the last of three pitchers, got the win. Danny Botti started and left after five with an 8-5 lead in line for the win, but Sebby Amenta was hit hard in the sixth, giving up three runs on three hits, including a two-out, two run single by Kam Miles that tied the game.

Both teams scored early and often as Guilford put a three-spot on the board in the first, only to see Middletown came back with four in the home half, a rally highlighted by a two-run single by Ben Alonzo (2-for3).

Logan Hitchcock had a big day for Guilford, going 4-for-4, with two singles, a double and a triple. Evan Song had a single and an RBI triple for Guilford.

In Friday’s game it was the defense that sabotaged the 75ers. Leading 2-1 in the fourth, Cheshire scored four unearned runs off Garofalo as Middletown made three errors.

Gary Costello went the distance for the win, holding Middletown to just three hits.

Cheshire leads the zone at 14-2 and Middletown has fallen to third behind Meriden, two games off the pace.

“Cheshire is pretty good,” said D’Aquila. “They’re tough up and down the lineup and they don’t make mistakes. But we have two more with them and two more with Meriden and they’re all home. It will be an interesting end of the season.

“Of course, we have to take care of business, but it will be good to play those teams at home.”

Middletown (16-6 overall) is home for Zone 3 double headers both Tuesday and Thursday evenings. East Haddam is at Palmer Field Tuesday and Prospect/Beacon Falls is here Thursday. Both double headers start at 5:30. RCP SWEEPS TRICOUNTY » RCP swept a doubleheader with TriCounty. In the opener, Joe Vail had two hits, including an RBI double in the bottom of the 8th inning to lift RCP to a 1–0 win.

Vail pitched seven scoreless innings and Roland Thivierge picked up the win by throwing a scoreless 8th inning.

In game two, Kevin Larkin pitched seven innings and allowed one unearned run as RCP won 5–1. Amir Nitowski, Austin White and Noah Budzik all had two hits for RCP.