It was the matchup you would want for a baseball tournament title, No. 1 vs. No. 2. In the case of the Naugatuck Valley League tournament, however, top-seeded Wolcott used a pair of three-run innings late to pull away from second-seeded Holy Cross by a score of 10-3.
The Eagles improved to 21-2 overall while the Crusaders fell to 20-3. Both teams are the top seed in their respective state brackets, Wolcott in Class M and Holy Cross in Class S.
The Eagles scored in every inning against the Crusaders, with three runs apiece in the fifth and sixth frames. Dane Hassan went 3-for-4 with a triple, two runs scored and three RBI. Alex James was 2-for-3 with two RBI while Alec Calabro had a triple, two walks, a run scored and two RBI. Anthony Ligi was 2-for-3 with a double, two runs scored and an RBI while Jack Drewry went 1-for-2 with two walks, two runs scored and an RBI. Trey Nastri had an RBI while Reece Ketchum, Tom Marciano and Mitch Lanza each added a run scored.
Brett Adams pitched the first 6 2/3 innings for the victory. Adams gave up three unearned runs on four hits, struck out nine, walked three and hit a batter. Hassan got a strikeout for the game’s final out.
Tim Zupkus went 2-for-2 with a double, two walks and three RBI to lead Holy Cross. John Greene had a hit and run scored while Brian Parzyck provided the other hit. William Greene and Connor Goggin added a run scored apiece. Joe Bonvicini pitched the first 4 2/3 innings and took the loss.
Holy Cross scored twice in the top of the first inning to claim a quick 2-0 lead. Zupkus had a two-run single that brought home William Greene and Goggin.
Wolcott chipped away for single runs in the first and second innings to tie the game, then scored one run in the third and fourth innings to go ahead 4-2. A Drewry RBI single plated Hassan in the first inning; a Hassan RBI single brought home Calabro in the second inning; Nastri’s RBI single scored Drewry in the third inning; and James’ RBI single scored Hassan in the fourth inning.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Marciano was hit by a pitch to load the bases with two outs. Hassan followed with a two-run single to plate Ligi and Ketchum. James drove in Marciano with another single for the final run of the fifth.
In the sixth, Ligi doubled home Drewry to put Wolcott ahead 8-2. Calabro followed with a two-run triple to plate Lanza and Ligi.
Holy Cross got a single run in the top of the seventh inning on a bases loaded walk from Zupkus. With the bases still loaded, Hassan picked up a strikeout to end the game and start the celebration for Wolcott.
Looking ahead
Wolcott and Holy Cross will each start the state tournament at home. Here’s something about each team:
Wolcott
The Eagles will face No. 32 Bacon Academy of Colchester (7-13), which is from the Eastern Connecticut Conference. The Class M first round game will be played on May 28 at 3:30 p.m. at Wolcott High School. The Eagles beat the Bobcats 9-3 in the quarterfinal round of last year’s Class M state tournament. Wolcott went on to play in the state final. The teams also met in the first round of the 2016 Class M state tournament, and Wolcott won that game 6-2. The Eagles went on to win their first state title that season.
Holy Cross
The Crusaders await the winner of Saturday’s Class S qualifying round game between No. 32 Bolton (8-12) and No. 33 Metropolitan Learning Center, or MLC (6-9). That first round game in Class S will be played on May 28 at 3:30 p.m. at Municipal Stadium. Bolton is from the North Central Connecticut Conference, and MLC is from the Capitol Region Athletic League.
