Wilton U-10 Blue Pounds the Baseball

After consecutive losses to Norwalk, 10-4, and Fairfield National Blue, 9-7, the Wilton U-10 Blue baseball team’s bats came to life to lead the team to a 19-3 pounding of Darien National, and a four inning, 15-5, mercy-rule thumping of Shelton National in which the Warriors scored the maximum five runs in each of the first three frames to put the game away.  The victory over Shelton left the team 3-1 in pool play in the Fairfield 9U all-star tournament, assuring the squad a berth in the quarterfinals.

The Warriors opened both victories in similar fashion.  Against Darien, a leadoff walk by Sam Strazza was followed by consecutive singles by Ryan Van Heyst and Ryan Sorbo, before cleanup hitter Everett Andersen tripled to clear the bases.  Brian Cipri, Jimmy McKiernan and Dante Filliponi followed with walks, and Max Rothkopf and Andrew Rubsam drove in two more before the umpire invoked the five-run mercy rule.

The second and third innings were similar.  Davis Wallon and Jack Tinnen both singled and walked, and EJ Fasano singled to ignite three and five run rallies.

In the Shelton game, Strazza singled sharply to center to lead off and Van Heyst and Sorbo loaded the bases for Andersen, who delivered a two run single to right.  The other big blow in the inning was a single by Davis Wallon, who was 2-2 on the day, pitched a scoreless inning and made a web gem-worthy barehanded play from his pitcher’s position to retire a speedy Shelton batter.

Van Heyst pitched two dominant scoreless innings, allowing the Warriors to race out to a 15-0 lead, as the Warriors had hits from Sam Strazza (2), Ryan Van Heyst, Ryan Sorbo, Everett Andersen (2), Max Rothkopf, Dante Filliponi (a bomb deep to left), Andrew Rubsam, Davis Wallon (2), E.J. Fasano (2) and Jack Tinnen (2).

The Warriors will take their hot bats into the Fairfield tournament quarterfinals, where they will face stiff competition from talented Trumbull and Fairfield squads.