For some, conference tournaments offer best chance to win
The state’s conference baseball tournaments begin Saturday with the NVL, FCIAC and SWC quarterfinals and continue through next Friday when the ECC holds its championship game.
It is a sprint through a one-and-done baseball tournament against all your rivals, many of whom you have already played once and sometimes twice in the regular season.
While some teams covet CIAC state titles, others look to the conference tournaments as their more realistic chance to win something.
The Berkshire League and the CCC do not hold postseason baseball tournaments and will be completing their regular seasons next week.
Throw the seeds out the window and let’s roll into the 2022 high school baseball postseason.
CRACKING ACES
If you are going to win any of these tournaments, it will start with a dominant pitcher or another team’s offense beating a top pitcher.
You can travel all over the state tracking down the aces trying to bring their team a title.
The SCC is loaded with top-flight arms including Tyler Hartley of Xavier, Gianni Gambardella of West Haven and Martin Zhang of Amity all of whom have been dominant at points this season.
We will see if junior Boston College commit Kyle Kip can carry Westhill to a FCIAC crown or will Zack Broderick of Warde be celebrating on the mound like he did last season? Or will it be Ridgefield’s Andrew Castelluccio or Staples Hiro Wyatt jumping into his catcher’s arms?
The SWC will bring Stanford commit Matt Scott and his brother Will from Barlow, and Brookfield ace Gabriel Silva to the mound.
Don’t think the NVL is short of arms that can win titles with Brendan Palmer of Ansonia, Michael Belcher of Woodland and lefty Brendan Foley of St. Paul, who had a perfect game against Woodland this year.
THE ROAD TO…
All quarterfinal round