Junior Brayden Sparaco struck out 12 East Hampton batters and combined with two relievers on a 4-hitter as Valley Regional defeated the host Bellringers 4-0 on Wednesday for its sixth straight win.
Valley improves to 12-2 overall record with six games left in its regular season. The Warriors currently lead Old Saybrook (11-4) in the race for the No. 1 seed in the eight-team Shoreline Conference tournament, which starts the week of May 23.
Jack Finnegan came on for Sparaco in the seventh inning and, around recording an out, walked three. Senior left-hander James Marsden got the final two outs for the save.
Sparaco allowed all four East Hampton hits — two singles to Hunter Peszynski and one each to Javy Diaz and James Quinn — and walked two among his 84 pitches.
The Warriors scored a run in the first, two in the fourth and a single run in the sixth on a total of 4 hits. Luke Buccaro doubled and drove in 2 runs and Braden Karcich had an RBI. Marsden tripled and scored a run and Colin Carver scored twice for Valley.
Nate Bigelow pitched 6 innings for East Hampton (7-8) and allowed 4 runs (none earned) on 4 hits, walked 1 and fanned 5. Luke Paluska pitched a scoreless seventh.
Both teams have out-of-conference games coming up. Valley hosts Canton on Thursday (5pm) and has another hoe game Saturday against Woodstock Academy (4pm). The Bellringers, who have lost 3 straight and 4 of 5, host Rockville on Friday at 4:15.
Elsewhere around the county:
Cromwell 7, Hale-Ray 6: The Panthers scored 3 times in the top of the seventh and Zach Zajac got the final 3 outs as Cromwell (8-9) ended a 6-game losing streak. Elias Deleon’s two-run single tied the game at 6 and Antonio Iozzo hit a sacrifice fly to drive in the go-ahead run. Cromwell’s 4-0 lead was wiped out when the host Noises (7-8) put up 6 runs in the fifth inning. Tysen Billings, the third of 4 Cromwell pitchers in the game, got the win in relief and Zajac recorded the save. Austin Sevigny took the loss. DeLeon was 2 for 4, Colby Dimenna drove in 2 runs, while Billings and Connor Slifer each had an RBI. Charlie Gable was 2 for 4 with an RBI and run scored for the Noises and Joe Kalisz drove in 2 runs.
Bristol Eastern 7, Middletown 4: The Blue Dragons struggled in the field in taking their second straight loss. Tyler Powell was 2 for 3 with a single, double, 3 runs scored, an RBI and stolen base for Middletown (7-5). Dan Lapham and Mason Neuman had 2 hits apiece. Middletown visits Coginchaug on Thursday (3:45pm).
Old Lyme 11, Coginchaug 5: The Wildcats (8-8) broke open a 6-5 game with 5 runs in the sixth inning to beat the Blue Devils (9-6) at home. Owen Snurkowski and James Creagan had 3 hits and 2 RBIs each to lead Old Lyme’s 12-hit attack. Conner Willett drove in 2 runs for Coginchaug.
Softball
Haddam-Killingworth 5, East Hampton 4: The Cougars (15-1) needed a 3-run rally in the bottom of the seventh to avoid an upset by the Bellringers (4-9). East Hampton took a 5-3 lead in the top of the seventh on an Emily Jovel triple and an infield error. H-K answered with a game-tying single by Caley Napoletano and a long triple to left field by Annabelle Zajac to score Napoletano. Kaleigh Bodak was the winning pitcher in relief. H-K visits Cromwell (13-2) on Friday at 4pm. The Cougars won the first meeting 7-0.
Valley Regional 4, Windsor Locks 0: Anna Benson pitched a complete-game 4-hitter, walked 1 and struck out 8 to give the Warriors their sixth win of the season. Abby Amara (2 runs) and Sam Pierce (1 RBI) had 2 hits apiece for Valley, while Mckenzie Mule had 2 RBIs and Vivian Paradis 1.
Boys Golf
Portland 170, Morgan 182
At Clinton Country Club
Medalist: Quinn Lapinski, Portland, 1-over 37
Other Portland scorers: Joe LaMalfa 40, Gianna Discenza 46, Eli Evison 47, Aidan Peterson 50.
Morgan scorers: Drew Nye 44, Tyler Greenhouse 44, CJ Giuliano 46, Jack Nye 48, Nick Schmidt 49.
Records: Portland 9-0, Morgan 9-3.
Xavier 171, Guilford 172
At Madison Country Club
Medalist: Andrew Beauton, Guilford, 37
Xavier scorers: Finn Russell 38, John Thompson 41, John Carrozzella 43, Brady Pill 49.
Other Guilford scorers: Miguel Pearce 42, Aidan Webster 44, Own Angkatavich and Shane Considine 49.
Records: Xavier 5-5; Guilford 4-5.
Hale-Ray 186, Valley Regional 209
At Black Hall Club
Medalist: Luke Karpiej, Hale-Ray, 1-over 36
Other Hale-Ray scorers: Hunter Rafala 53, Caleb Jessee 44, Joel Kindel 53, Ethan Adams 55.
Valley scorers: Jake Castellano 50, Kevin King 50, Tyler Ruel 48, Riley Dickson 61.
Haddam-Killingworth 180, East Hampton 280
At Black Birch Golf Course
Medalist: Andrew Crayton, H-K, 43
Other H-K scorers: Gabe Barile 45, Jacob Maier 46, -Declan Kessler 46, Andrew Fleig 47.
East Hampton scorers: Kaitlyn Grenier 63, Sean Dickerman 64, Carys DiNunzio 76, Nate Laird 77, William Anderman 81.
Record: H-K 6-2-1 overall, 6-1-1 Shoreline.
Xavier 167, Hamden 194
At Portland Golf Course
Medalist: Finn Russell, Xavier, 40
Other Xavier scorers: John Carrozzella 41, Madison Whitney 43, John Thompson 43, Brady Pill 43.
Hamden scorers: Ryan Shane 46, Jon Ganucheau 46, Kelley Sargalini 50, Kody Hazan 52.
North Branford 171, Old Lyme 187
At Black Hall Club
Medalist: Dakota Cooper, North Branford, 37
Other North Branford scorers: Jack O’Brien 42, Robert Cappella 43, Blake Pearson 49, Drew Girardi 50.
Old Lyme scorers: Pat Flanagan 38, Alex Chrysoulakis 50, Andrew Hedberg 47, Manu Gerorimo 54, Evan Montville 52.
North Branford 189, Coginchaug 211
At Indian Springs Golf Course
Medalist: Colin Murphy, Coginchaug, 38
North Branford scorers: Jack O’Brien 43, Dakota Cooper 51, Robert Cappella 48, Jalen Rossicone 51, Blake Pearson 47.
Other Coginchaug scorers: AJ Turman 47, Carson Sewell 60, Joe Cronk 66, Sophia Reny 69.
Haddam-Killingworth 188, Valley Regional 205
At Black Birch Golf Course, Moodus
Medalist: Andrew Fleig, H-K, 42
Other H-K scorers: Jacob Maier 48, Gabe Barile 49, Andrew Crayton 49, Declan Kessler 54.
Valley Regional scorers: Jake Castellano 47, Kevin King 49, Tyler Ruel 57, Will Kelly 52, Will McLaughlin 65.
Records: H-K 5-2-1 overall, 5-1-1 Shoreline.
Girls Lacrosse
Mercy 15, North Haven 10: Lily Schoonmaker scored a game-high 8 goals to power the Tigers to the win in Middletown. Mackenzie Kelley added 6 goals and Maddy Carbone 1 for Mercy (4-9). Shae Saracino led North Haven (4-10) with 5 goals. Mercy goalie Callia Borkowski collected 7 saves. Mercy beat North Haven on back-to-back days, also winning by a 15-10 count on the road. Schoonmaker scored 8 goals, Kelley chipped in with 4 and Carbone had 3 on Tuesday.
Boys Tennis
Morgan 7, Old Saybrook 0
Singles
Joseph Morse def. Logan Medbury 6-0, 6-0
Steve Kinser def. Daniel Steindl 7-5, 6-1
Matt Lopez def. Brent Ling 6-1, 6-1
Doubles
Nate Kinser and Nick Bausch def. Jack Forrestt and Mike Kapij
Ryder Watson and Oliver baker def. Zach Nichols and Joe Maselli 6-4, 6-3
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Old Lyme 7, Cromwell 0
Singles
Charles Hinckley def. Tyler Daniele 6-2, 7-5
Griffin McGlinchey def. Zach Daniele 6-1, 6-3
Will Danes def. Darragh McNeil 6-4, 6-0
Aidan Kerrigan def. Gowrish Sriramalinga 6-3, 6-2
Doubles
Nikolai Stephens-Zumbaum and Micah Bass def. Thomas Garcia and Quentin Shorter: 6-0, 6-1
Mike Klier and Andy Sicuranza win by forfeit
Alis Bicic and Leland Hine win by forfeit
Old Lyme 4, Westbrook 3
Singles
Charles Hinckley (OL) wins over Joey Caslin (scratch)
Elliot Koplas (W) def. Griffin McGlinchey 6-0, 6-1
Will Danes (OL) def. Jonah Freund 7-5, 5-7, 7-2 (tiebreaker)
Aidan Kerrigan (OL) def. Josh Davey 6-2, 6-3
Doubles
Mason Malchiodi and Ryan Engels (W) def. Nikolai Stephens-Zumbaum and Micah Bass 6-1, 6-4
Mike Klier and Andy Sicuranza (OL) def. Enzo Adorno and Jon Freund 6-4, 6-1
Alis Bicic and Leland Hine (OL) def. Dev Patel and Justin Tapia 6-0, 6-2
Girls Tennis
Old Lyme 7, Old Saybrook 0
Singles
Abigail Sicuranza def. Katie Capuano 6-0, 6-0
Sam Tan def. Elizabeth Pamment 6-1, 6-0
Callie Bass won by forfeit
Elaina Morosky won by forfeit
Doubles
Livie Bass / Alexis Fenton def. Lhamo Tsering / Tsering Choednar 6-1, 6-0
Fiona Hufford / Izzy Reynolds def. Morgan Bubello / Emily Moskinky 6-0, 6-1
Olivia Schaedler / Whitney Barbour def. Abigail Clifford / Ella Noack 6-0, 6-0