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Coach Christian Budzik’s Cromwell baseball team got the best of Pat Sirois’ East Hampton squad in a matchup of former Cromwell High players in the Shoreline Conference on Wednesday.
Brandon Berean went the distance, allowing 4 hits and striking out 11, as Cromwell prevailed in a 6-4 victory in East Hampton.
Budzik and Sirois, as well as Budzik assistant Doug Davenport, were teammates on Cromwell’s 2012 Class S state championship team. Sirois is two games into his first season as East Hampton’s head coach.
Berean, who took a 6-1 lead into the seventh inning, allowed 2 earned runs and walked 3. Colby Dimenna had 2 doubles in 4 at-bats and plated 3 runs for the Panthers. Ethan Ucol and Jess Elfrich had a hit and RBI apiece.
Tyler Varni led East Hampton’s offense with 2 hits and an RBI. James Quinn and Baden Plante also drove in a run each for the Bellringers, while Austin Bigelow, Aiden Palen and RJ Stanford scored for East Hampton.
Junior Alex Zimmerman pitched 5 innings, allowed 2 runs (1 earned) on 4 hits with 2 walks and 7 strikeouts.
In other games around the area on Wednesday:
Coginchaug 10, Hale-Ray 2: Senior Jayson Penney pitched 5 strong innings and hit a home run as the Blue Devils (1-1) beat the Noises (0-2) on the road in Shoreline play. Penney allowed 1 run, walked none and struck out 9. Sophomore reliever Tyler Ufferfilge allowed just 1 hit over the sixth and seventh innings. Jack Franceschet was 3 for 5 with a double and 2 RBIs to pace the offense, while Ethan Sirois and John Carafeno had 2 hits each and Adam Schaffer drove in 2 runs for Coginchaug. Austin Sevigny was 2 for 3 with 2 RBIs for Hale-Ray, while Aiden Brown and Max Janecek were both 1 for 3 with an RBI. Sam Forsyth took the loss.
Haddam-Killingworth 10, North Branford 5: Matt Shea highlighted H-K’s 12-hit day with 2 doubles, a triple and 3 RBIs as the Cougars improved to 2-0. Callen Powers, Todd Butler and Dylan Coon each had 2 hits for the Cougars, and Liam Gordon pitched 4 2/3 innings for the win. Nico Falcioni had two hits for North Branford (1-1).
Portland 8, Old Saybrook 4: Spencer Rosado pitched 5 strong innings, allowing just 4 hits and striking out 6, to help the Highlanders (1-1) to their first win of the season in Shoreline play. Ryan LaPila pitched out of bases-loaded jam in the top of the seventh to close out the Rams. Harrison Collins and LaPila each had 2 hits including a double and scored 2 runs. Connor Lane hit his second home run in as many games for Old Saybrook (1-1).
Old Lyme 19, Westbrook 5: The Wildcats scored 12 runs in the fourth inning as they rolled to their second straight win. Santiago Rodriguez was 3 for 3 with 4 RBIs and 2 runs scored in Old Lyme’s 11-hit attack. Winning pitcher Casey Hurtgen surrendered 3 runs on 3 hits over 4 innings, striking out 5. Quenten Patz got the final 3 outs. Ben Frazier (2 for 4, 1 RBI, 3 runs) also had an outstanding day at the plate for the Wildcats, while Owen Snurkowski had a hit and drove in 2 runs. Ben Stosse took the loss for Westbrook
SOFTBALL
East Hampton 2, Cromwell 1 (8 innings): Olivia DeMartino had the only 2 hits off Cromwell pitcher Lily Kenney and scored both Bellringer runs as East Hampton (2-0) upset the Panthers in extras. Kenney struck out 20 for the defending Class S champions, who fell to 0-2. Emma Ribera had 2 hits for Cromwell.
Mercy 15, East Haven 3 (6 innings): Kate Bailey hit a home run and Jaina Geisler struck out 3 to lead Mercy to its second win in 3 games. Sophia Engels led the Tigers’ offense with a double, triple and 4 RBIs. Skylar Swanson had a triple and Ava Chrostowski doubled for the Tigers.
Old Lyme 20, Old Saybrook/Westbrook 0 (4½ innings): Olivia Kelly was 3 for 3 with 4 RBIs and 3 runs scored and Sybil Neary was 3 for 4 with 3 RBIs to lead Old Lyme to a 2-0 start. Winning pitcher Emma Bayor doubled twice and drove in 4 runs and Jenna Schauder had 2 hits, 4 runs scored and 3 RBIs for the Wildcats. Baylor struck out 9 and combined with Jamie Bucior on a 1-hitter.
BOYS GOLF
Xavier 163, Hamden 206 at Laurel View GC
Medalist: Gavin Coletti (X), 40.
Xavier scorers: Gavin Coletti 40, Brady Pill 41, JB Ouellette 41, John Thompson 41.
Hamden Scorers: Cameron Stone 50, Trevor Cathay 52, Bode Becker 52, Tobias Haxhi 52.
Records: Xavier 1-0-1; Hamden 0-1.
Medalist: AJ Turman (C), 41
GIRLS LACROSSE
Lyman Hall 9, Mercy 6: Mackenzie Kelley scored 5 and Megan Kasperowski had 1 for the Tigers (0-2). Ava Pear had 4 saves in net for Mercy.