Wallingford downs Canton for Section II title

TERRYVILLE » For the second straight night, solid defense and pitching combined with timely hitting allowed Wallingford Little League to come away with a one-sided victory over Canton.

This time, the game meant something.

Justin Hackett pitched a complete game with eight strikeouts and went 4-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored, including a three-run homer, to lead Wallingford to a 13-2 win over Canton in the Section II championship game at Janser Field on Saturday. The game ended after the fifth inning due to Little League’s mercy rule.

Wallingford advanced to the four-team double-elimination state championship for the first time. It will face the Section I champion at Adams Middle School in Guilford next Friday.

On Friday, Wallingford defeated Canton 17-0 in a meaningless game since both teams already clinched a spot in the Section II championship game.

“Tonight’s game was more nip and tuck, especially in the first four innings, compared to Friday’s game,” Wallingford manager and Justin Hackett’s father Tim Hackett said. “It really wasn’t until we scored seven runs in the fifth inning that the game really turned in our favor.

“Canton gave us all we could handle. Justin mixed up his fastball with a knuckleball and I think that kept Canton off balance. We have a great bunch of kids and they all contributed tonight. That fifth inning was the turning point for us. Now we enter new territory because we never got this far before.”

Wallingford had a 6-1 lead going into the fifth inning. It scored seven runs to take a 13-1 lead in the top of the fifth inning highlighted by Hackkett’s threerun homer and a two-run home run by Charles Ennis. Ennis ended up going 2-for-4 with two runs scored and Johnny Carrozella went 2-for-4 with three runs scored and three RBIs including a solo homer in the second inning. “We’re all excited that we’re

going to the state tournament for the first time,” Justin Hackett said. “This was a much closer game, but that 17-0 win on Friday gave us a lot of confidence coming into this game. We’re all a little surprised at the one-sided scores in the past two games because all our other postseason games have been close.

“That fifth inning was really the key inning for us tonight.”

Canton coach Chris LaPointe called the season a successful one for his team.

“Canton never advanced this far in the tournament,” LaPointe said. “Our kids played great, they fought hard and this success is great for the town of Canton. Wallingford is a great team and the game really turned around in that fifth inning.”

Justin DiCarlo led Canton with a double, an RBI and a run scored.