The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
CIAC BASEBALL CAPSULES
All games at Palmer Field, Middletown Tickets: $10 / $5 students, senior citizens. Online purchase only.
CLASS LL
WHO: No. 4 Southington (21-3) vs No. 3 Warde (24-3)
WHEN: Saturday, noon
ON THE AIR/WEB: NFHS Network (subscription)
HOW THEY GOT HERE: Southington: Def. McMahon 3-1; Hall 4-1; Newington 4-0; Danbury 6-0. Warde: Def. Simsbury 8-4; Conard 6-0; Trumbull 4-1
CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY: Southington: 14th appearance, 3-9 overall. 2019 lost Staples; 2014 lost Amity; 2013 lost Amity; 2011 lost Newington; 1999 def. Rockville; 1997 lost Simsbury; 1994 def. West Haven; 1988 lost West Haven; 1987 lost Fitch; 1976 lost Shelton; 1961 def. Killingly; 1957 lost Farmington; 1955 lost Woodrow Wilson. Warde: 2nd appearance, 0-1 overall. 2016 lost Amity. As Andrew Warde ,2 appearances, 1982 lost North Haven; 1981 def. Rockville.
KEY PLAYERS: Southington: Vincent Borghese, Sr. P; Jackson Rusiecki, Sr. CF; Manny Izzo, Sr. OF; Frank Boutot, So. DH; Jaden Maia, Jr. OF. Warde: Zach Broderick, Sr. 1B/P; Garrett Larsen, Jr. SS; Roman DiGiacomo, Sr. C; Griffin Polley, Jr. 3B/P; John Heitzman, Sr. OF
OUTLOOK: This is one of those Class LL championship games that lined up perfectly with two high-quality teams from two strong conferences playing their best baseball as they head down the stretch. The winner of this game has a great chance to be ranked No. 1 in the final GameTimeCT Top 10 poll. Both teams will likely be throwing their No. 1 pitchers with Zach Broderick going for Warde and Vincent Borghese on the mound for Southington after each pitched gems in the quarterfinals. Both teams pitch well, have deep lineups that can hit 1 through 9 and both have been solid defensively. Southington has been playing this state tournament for Coach Charles Lembo who died the Saturday before the state tournament began after a bout with cancer at the age of 62. Lembo coached at Southington from 2011 until getting sick during the 2021 season, leading the Blue Knights to 10-straight state tournaments appearances.
THE PICK: Warde
CLASS L
WHO: No. 10 Maloney (16-8) vs No. 1 Windsor (23-1)
WHEN: Friday, 7 p.m.
ON THE AIR/WEB: NFHS Network (subscription)
HOW THEY GOT HERE: Maloney: Def. Bristol Eastern 9-4; Wilcox Tech 9-3; East Lyme 7-4; NDWH 2-1. Windsor: Def. Kaynor Tech 17-0; Guilford 5-2; Lyman Hall 3-1; Hand 8-0
CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY: Windsor, 4th appearance, 2-1 overall. 2018 lost Wethersfield; 1991 def. Greenwich; 1979 def. Staples. Maloney: 3rd appearance, 0-2 overall. 1995 lost Plainville; 1989 lost East Lyme
KEY PLAYERS: Windsor: Jonathan Lattimer, Sr. SS/C; Mason Glickman, Sr. P; Eli Fangiullo, So. 1B; Nason Busca, Sr. C.
Maloney: Rafael Rodriguez, Sr. C; Tyler Duffy, So. P; Joseph Rodriguez Rosa, Jr. 2B; Jesus Arraez Alvarado, Jr. 3B
OUTLOOK: Windsor was ranked No. 2 in the latest GameTimeCT Poll and they proved the voters right with a dominating performance in the semifinals. The only loss this season for the Warriors was a 4-3 defeat to Southington who is playing in the Class LL title game. If they win, they will get strong consideration as the No. 1 team in the state. Maloney began the season 2-4 but have won 11-of-13. Though both come from the CCC, the teams did not play in the regular season. Windsor has given up just three runs this state tournament and will be tough to beat in this one.
THE PICK: Windsor
CLASS M
WHO: No. 7 Woodland (21-6) vs No. 4
Barlow (22-4)
WHEN: Saturday 7 p.m.
ON THE AIR/WEB: NFHS Network (subscription)
HOW THEY GOT HERE: Woodland: Def. Seymour 9-1; Grasso Tech 11-2; Northwestern 2-1; Law 3-0. Barlow: Def. Granby 10-7; H-K 4-1; Suffield 13-2; Sheehan 4-2
CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY: Woodland: First appearance. Barlow: 2nd appearance, 1-0 overall. 1964 def. East Hampton
KEY PLAYERS: Woodland: Michael Belcher, So. P; Zach Drewry, Sr. 1B; Ryan Montini, Sr. OF/P; Tyler Giambra, Sr. P. Barlow: Matt Scott, Sr. P; Will Scott, Jr. SS/P; Jason Gaudio, Sr. 2B; Ian Nilsen, So. 3B
OUTLOOK: Nobody involved with Saturday’s game has seen either school win a state championship. Woodland has never won and Barlow has not won since Lyndon Johnson was president. What we know is that Barlow’s ace pitcher, Stanford-bound Matt Scott, threw over 100 pitches in the semifinals. Scott has the three days rest needed to pitch again under the rules, but if he is used on the mound, it will likely be sparingly. On the other side, things set up well for Woodland who will likely start sophomore sensation Michael Belcher, who beat Northwestern in the quarterfinals, striking out 10 batters.
THE PICK: Barlow
CLASS S
WHO: No. 3 Somers (21-4) vs No. 1 St. Paul (25-1)
WHEN: Saturday, 3:30 p.m.
ON THE AIR/WEB: NFHS Network (subscription)
HOW THEY GOT HERE: Somers: Def. East Hampton 5-3; Tourtellotte 15-4; Old Lyme 14-1; Oxford 9-3. St. Paul: Def. Terryville 22-0; St. Bernard 3-1; North Branford 18-2; Immaculate 7-0
CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY: Somers: 3rd appearance, 0-2 overall. 1984 lost Coventry; 1983 lost Shepaug Valley. St. Paul: 7th appearance, 3-3 overall. 2021 lost Coginchaug; 2016 def. Morgan; 1976 lost Gilbert; 1973 lost Gilbert; 1972 def. Gilbert; 1971 def. Valley Regional
KEY PLAYERS: St. Paul: Devin Kulas, Jr. 2B; Ryan Daniels, Sr. SS; Joseph Tonnotti, So. P; Casey Cerruto, Sr. C; Mario Izzo, Sr. 1B. Somers: Colby McCormick, Jr. OF; Cody Palazzesi, Sr. 3B; Kaede Wood, Sr. P; Alex Grenier, Sr. C
OUTLOOK: Somers coach Jim Coleman took over prior to the season with no experience coaching at the high school level, but now has the Spartans in the state championship game. Somers finished one game short of winning the NCCC title, but has won 12-of its last-13. St. Paul has been the favorite in Class S since April and has been a mainstay in the GameTimeCT Top 10 Poll, even sharing the No. 1 ranking for one week with Xavier. St. Paul was No. 4 in the latest poll and the only Class S team ranked. The Falcons have put up huge offensive numbers the last two seasons, including scoring 50 runs in four games this tournament, and have been focused on a Class S title since losing in last year’s final.
THE PICK: St. Paul