Wolcott baseball is playing on the final Saturday of the season for the second straight year. This time around, the Eagles want to return to Wolcott with a Class M state championship.
Standing in the way of top-seeded Wolcott is No. 11 St. Joseph (Trumbull) from the FCIAC. The Cadets, who lost to state champion Seymour in the semifinals last year, have outscored their opponents 55-1 in the first four games of the 2019 tournament. You read that right, 55-1. St. Joseph is led by senior captains Stephen Paolini, Aaron Kirby, Charlie Pagliarini, Ben Talbot, Albert Paolozzi and Jimmy Evans. Paolini was taken in the fifth round (157th pick) of the MLB Draft by the Atlanta Braves. The only player drafted higher in Connecticut than Paolini was UConn junior pitching standout Jacob Wallace.
Wolcott has 12 seniors on its CIAC roster, with Jack Drewry and Jeff Nicol the only ones to be on the varsity roster for the 2016 Class M championship. They were the starting battery in last year’s state final loss to Seymour. You can bet that Drewry and Nicol, along with fellow seniors Trey Nastri, Dane Hassan, Anthony Ligi, Brett Adams, Reece Ketchum, Alec Calabro, Tyler Brzankalski, Branden Casanova, Colby Regan and Benjamin Tapley, want to end their careers with a state championship.
Drewry pitched in the 3-2 semifinal win over Woodland Regional on Tuesday, and he is available Saturday after three days of rest. The senior right-hander hurt his elbow in the first round against Bacon Academy, but battled his way through six innings against Woodland. Wolcott also has Brett Adams, Jack Moore and Tom Marciano, among others, available.
Here are some details about the game:
Class M state final
No. 11 St. Joseph vs. No. 1 Wolcott
When: Saturday, 7 p.m.
Where: Palmer Field, Middletown
Records: St. Joseph (18-8), Wolcott (25-2)
Leagues: St. Joseph — FCIAC, Wolcott — NVL
Championship history: St. Joseph — Sixth appearance, 4-1; won in 2013, 1985, 1980, 1976; lost in 1977. Wolcott — Third appearance, 1-1; lost in 2018; won in 2016
Cover photo: Wolcott seniors Trey Nastri, left, and Jack Drewry, right, hope for a better result in their second straight trip to Palmer Field. The Eagles play St. Joseph for the Class M state title on Saturday. (Copyright, Sports on CT-69, file)
Top photo: Wolcott huddles together after its Class M semifinal win over Woodland Regional at Muzzy Field.
