Middletown legion coach Tim D’Aquila steps down

MIDDLETOWN — Longtime Middletown Post 75 coach Tim D’Aquila has resigned in the midst of the team’s pursuit of a playoff berth in the American Legion U19 state tournament.

D’Aquila, who’s been part of the program since 2008, was ejected for arguing balls and strikes in extra innings in the first game of last weekend’s Zone 3 doubleheader against Wallingford at Palmer Field. The outburst led Middletown Post 75 officials to suspend him for the duration of the season as well as this fall’s schedule, sources told the Press.

D’Aquila would not comment Thursday. A Post 75 official did not return a request for comment. Dave Greenleaf, the state chairman of Legion Baseball, told the Press that D’Aquila and Post 75 “mutually agreed” to part ways.

Post 75 assistant Jay Famiglietti will coach the 75ers for the remainder of the summer season.

“Everyone seems to be on the same page and focused,” Famiglietti said Thursday. “The players are focused on making the state tournament and making some noise.”

Post 75 has been on a roll of late, inching its way forward in the Zone 3 standings by winning eight of its last 10 games following a doubleheader sweep at Meriden on Wednesday.

The 75ers are 11-9 in the zone, a half-game behind third-place Guilford through Wednesday’s games. The teams split their fourgame season series.

At this point, Middletown is battling Wallingford (8-10) for a state playoff berth, and Post 187 owns the tiebreaker by virtue of taking three of four from Middletown. The top four teams in each of the state’s eight zones, or divisions, qualify for the state tournament.

Post 75 is well behind zone leader Cheshire (13-1) and four losses behind second-place Southington (13-5). Cheshire visits Palmer Field on Saturday for a doubleheader, the annual Norm Way Classic, beginning at 10 a.m. The 75ers play two against Southington on Sunday at Southington

High School starting at 11 a.m.

After this weekend’s games, Middletown has four remaining on its zone schedule.