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And The BEAT Goes On: Orange Legion Defeats East Haven 9-8

Jul 142012

The Orange Ball Players leave the field after another victory

The winning streak for Bob Mirto’s Orange Legion Post 127 Baseball Team now stands at 11 consecutive games with a 9-8 victory over East Haven Saturday morning.

With the season drawing to a close, we hope the Orangemen can keep up the momentum and play as well against the big guns East Haven and Branford this coming week with just two more “home” ** games at Brinley Field.

The Schedule is as follows:

Sunday 7/15 vs East Haven at Brinley at 7 pm **

Tuesday 7/17 vs Branford at BHS at 5:45 pm

Wednesday 7/18 vs Branford at Brinley at 7 pm**

Thursday 7/19 vs Branford at BHS at 5:45 pm

State Tournament

Orange Live Sports Writer Phil Brodsky explained the State Tournament proceedings in a previously published story.

“Thus far 20 teams have qualified for the state tournament. The regular season concludes on Thursday, July 19.

The single-elimination play-in tournament (for teams with 14 or more wins) will take place on Saturday, July 21 at the home of the highest ranked team.

The winners of the 8 play-in tournaments and the 8 zone champions (who are exempted from that play-in tournament) will comprise the 16 teams that begin the state double-elimination tournament, which will be held in Bristol and Stamford .

The state championship game will be played at Muzzy Field in Bristol on Saturday, July 28^th.”

This is our roster of Orange Legion Players

Grayson Amoroso (8), Center Field, 18, 5-11, 160, bats right, throws right

Ted Ballou, (4), Right Field, 19, 6-4, 210, bats right, throws right

Nick Baviello, (11) Second Base, 18, 5-9, 171, bats left, throws right

Mark Boland (24) First Base, 18, 6-0, 175, bats left, throws right

Sean Butler (5) Third Base, 19, 5-9, 180, bats right, throws right

Mike Concato, (25) Pitcher, 16, 6-1, 190, bats right, throws right

Nial Dammando, (17) Right Field, 18, 5-11, 170, bats right, throws right

Timothy Fox (45), Catcher, 15, 5-10, 205, bats right, throws right

Nick Fusco, (1), Pticher, 16, 5-11, 165, bats left, throws right

Paul Gusmano, (21) Catcher, 18, 5-10, 190, bats right, throws right

Chris Katz, (3), Center Field, 17, 5-7, 150, bats left, throws left

Adam Kyasky, (10), First Base, 19, 5-10, 180, bats right, throws right

Ray Moquet, (32), Left Field, 17, 5-10, 165, bats right, throws right

Austin Pokluda, (13), Pitcher, 17, 6-1, 170, bats right, throws right

Matt Ronai, (26), Shortstop, 15, 5-11, 160, bats right, throws right

Vin Siena, (23), Shortstop, 18, 5-10, 185, bats right, throws right

Dane Simone, (22), Pitcher, 17, 6-1, 178, bats left, throws left

Brian Speer, (7), Third Base, 18, 5-10, 180, bats right, throws, right

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Orange Legion Baseball Memorable Play: Amoroso to Ronai to Gusmano — “He’s Out!”

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Jul 132012

By PHIL BRODSKY
Orange Live Sports Writer

Paul Gusmano tags Zack Korwek out at home plate.

Throughout the summer, Orange Post 127 has had an outstanding offensive attack that has been led by its 3 B’s (Nick Baviello, Mark Boland, and Ted Ballou. Those 3 B’s have swarmed at and stung Zone 2 pitching. Including last night’s 6-1 Brinley Field victory over East Haven Post 89, Orange has won 9 games in a row and has a first place record of 15-3.

Ballou’s 2-run inside-the-park home run ups his team-best batting average to .438. With his 3 hits, Baviello is clubbing the ball at a .428 clip. Boland added 2 hits that upped his batting average to .390.

According to winning Coach Bob Mirto, “Before the season, we asked Ted to be a leader. He has stepped up and done just that. Nick has been unconscious at bat. He has become one of the better hitters that has played for us. He hits everything hard and the ball seems to jump off the bat. Mark has really worked hard to improve himself offensively and has been steady with the bat all summer long.”

Not to be overlooked was another stellar mound effort by Mike Concato, who went the distance and upped his record to 3-0. He allowed the 89ers only 1 run on 6 hits while whiffing a dozen batters and handing out only 2 free passes.

“Mike’s the real deal—a really good pitcher. His first pitch to the first batter he faced in the first inning (Nick Lamberti) had to be 90 miles a hour and he struck out on 3 pitches. Mike was throwing hard all night long,” Mirto said.

East Haven posted its 1 and only run in the top of the first inning. With 2 outs, Andrew Hinckley slashed a double into the right field corner and soon scored on Mike Anastasio’s RBI single.

The 13-6 visitors held that 1-0 lead until the bottom of the fourth inning. Ballou led off with a free pass and raced on to second base when Anastasio was off the mark on a pick off try to first base. Shortly thereafter, Boland cashed in Ballou with his game-tying single into right field. The second of Paul Gusmano’s three base hits put runners on the corners. Brian Speer added a run-scoring, go-ahead base hit that proved to be the winning run.

Mirto added, “Brian didn’t have a good game last night in Stratford but got that big hit for us tonight. I wasn’t worried when we trailed 1-0 until the bottom of the fourth. It was still early in the game and I knew it would be hard for any team to shut us out.”

Following Baviello’s 1-out fifth inning single, Ballou launched a towering drive over the head of Lamberti, the East Haven center fielder. As the ball was drilled into dead center field, Ballou was able to circle the bases for his 2-run inside-the-park home run that extended the Post 127 lead to 4-1. Later in the same inning, Orange added an unearned run that made it a 5-1 contest.

Mirto’s Black Shirts tacked on another run in the bottom of the sixth inning. Chris Katz legged out an infield single, stole both second and third base before scoring on Baviello’s run-scoring single up the middle.

“We had some fun tonight.” Mirto said.

The defensive play of the game came with 2 outs in the top of the fifth inning. After Zack Korwek slapped a single into center field, Andrew Hinckley blasted a drive off the left center fence. As Korwek circled the bases, Orange center fielder Grayson Amoroso grabbed the carom off the fence, fired the ball to shortstop Matt Ronai, who made a perfect relay throw home to Gusmano, who put the tag on the sliding Korwek.

Mirto added, “Grayson made a great play grabbing the ball quickly as it came off the fence, threw a seed to Matt Ronai and he made a great relay throw home to just get the runner. The little guy at short (Ronai) made quite a play.”

Savoring his third win of the summer, Concato denied he had trouble getting loose in the first inning.

He said, “I felt good right from the start. They just got a couple of hits in the first inning. I knew I had given up 1 run but had no idea until the game was over that I had 12 strike outs. I’d say it was a good outing.”

Summing up the importance of Baviello, the team’s most experienced player and its inspirational leader, Mirto said, “Before the season even began, Nick told the guys on the team that they had to dedicate themselves to winning the Zone 2 championship and then doing some serious damage in the state tournament.”

Orange returns to Brinley Field tonight for a 7 P.M. contest against Shelton Post 16. Speer is expected to be Mirto’s starting pitcher.

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Orange Legion Baseball Memorable Play: Amoroso to Ronai to Gusmano — “He’s Out!”

Ted Ballou cracks the ball in this file photo from July 13.

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Ted Ballou is red-hot — Coach Bob Mirto: Orange Legion Does It Again

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Jul 112012

"Red Hot" Ted Ballou (4) during the July 10th game in Orange.

By PHIL BRODSKY

Orange Live Sports Writer

“Red Hot” Ted Ballou (4) during the July 10th game in Orange.

On Sunday, Orange Post 127 battered Stratford pitching for 19 hits enroute to a 14-1 thrashing of visiting Post 42. The same 2 teams met again Tuesday night at Brinley Field and the results were much the same. This time the hosts banged out 18 hits and pummeled Stratford 15-3. With its latest victory, Orange improved its record to 13-3 and remained atop Zone 2. The Black and Orange need only 1 more win to qualify for the American Legion state tournament that gets underway later this month. On the other side of the ledger, Post 42 sits in Zone 2 cellar.

While he struggled with his control all night, Orange pitcher Dane Simone went 5 innings and upped his record to a spotless 4-0. In addition to striking out 6 Stratford batters, Simone also walked 8, allowed 6 hits, and had runners on base in every inning.

According to winning Coach Bob Mirto, “We won tonight but the game was not a thing of beauty. Dane just didn’t have good control tonight, but he was determined to hang on. Having 6 strikeouts and 8 walks is not a good strike out to walk ratio, but he did go 5 innings and throw 127 pitches. Fortunately, we hit the ball hard again tonight. We’ve done that consistently throughout the season.”

Once again the winners jumped out to a quick first inning lead. Following Grayson Amoroso’s lead-off double over the head of Post 42 center fielder, Ryan Sosik, Nick Baviello’s fielder’s choice, consecutive singles ff the bets of Ted Ballou and Paul Gusmano and with an error by Stratford catcher Nick DiIullo and a bases-loaded walk to Brian Speer staked Simone to an early 4-0 advantage.

After leaving the bases loaded in the top of the first inning, Stratford did scrape out a run in its next at bat. DiIullo led off with a free pass and raced over to third base on Alex Tyler’s 2-base blast into right-center field. DiIullo scooted home on Sosik’s infield roller.

Orange extended its advantage to 6-1 in the bottom of the second inning. Mark Boland singled and advanced to third base on Baviello’s double down the right field line. Both runners raced home on the front end of Ballou’s base hit.

With the bases loaded in the top of the third, Simone forced in a run when walked Mike Cody, but the winners tacked on 2 more runs in the bottom of the same canto, on base hits from Spear and Nial Dimmondo, a throwing error by DiIullo, and Amoroso’s drive up the middle.

Leading 8-2, Orange batted around and exploded for 6 more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Making his first start for Post 127, Matt Ronai led off with a 2-base blast off the left-center field fence. Dimmondo singled Ronai over to third bases and Chris Katz cashed in both runners with his double into the right-center field gap. Amoroso, Baviello, and Ballou followed with RBI base hits that chased Stratford starter Jordan Weiss and extended the Post 127 advantage to 14-3.

Orange recorded its 15^th and final run in the sixth inning on another Katz double, a throwing error by Post 42 third baseman Jamie DeStefano, and Adam Kyasky’s RBI single up the middle.

“Ted Ballou is red-hot,” Mirto said. “He had 5 hits on Sunday and 3 more tonight. That’s 8 hits in a row. Nick Baviello has been crushing the ball too.”

Included in Ballou’s offensive efforts were 2 doubles, a single, 3 RBI, a stolen base and a run scored. Baviello’s tally sheet included a double, a single, 3 runs scored, and an RBI. Ronai added a single, a double, a run, and an RBI. Dimmondo also contributed 2 singles, 2 runs, and a stolen base. Amoroso doubled twice, scored twice and added an RBI. For the second game in a row, every batter in the winners’ starting line up recorded at least 1 hit and scored at least 1 run.

Sosik and Weiss each had 2 hits for the losers.

The 3-game series concludes tonight with a 5:45 game at Penders Field in Stratford . Mirto was trying hard not to look ahead to his teams upcoming contests with East Haven Post 89 and Branford Post 83, but then noted, “Things won’t be as easy as this later in the week. We have a make-up game with Shelton on Friday and then we move on to East Haven and Branford. We look to end our regular season for 6 tough games. Our pitching is all set up. Hopefully, things will fall into place for us. We’ll see what we are made of and how good we are in those 6 games.”

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Ted Ballou is red-hot — Coach Bob Mirto: Orange Legion Does It Again

Grayson Amoroso and Nick Baviello in this file photo from Tuesday's game.

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Everyone Was Exhausted After Tuesday Night’s 2.5 Hour Orange Legion Game

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Jul 112012

Teddy Ballou slides into second as the Stratford player drops the ball... and ... he's .... safe!

Teddy Ballou slides into second as the Stratford player misses the ball… and … he’s …. safe!

The Orange American Legion Post 127 Baseball team played against Stratford in an excruciatingly long 2.5 hour game at Brinley Field on Tuesday night.

By the time 9:30 p.m. rolled around everyone was tired: players; spectators; coaches — canine mascots and good luck charms.

So, is Orange still on top? Come back in a while for Phil Brodsky’s story and more photos.

The two teams meet again tonight at Penders Field in Stratford at 5:45 p.m.

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Everyone Was Exhausted After Tuesday Night’s 2.5 Hour Orange Legion Game

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Orange Blanks North Haven 5-0 in Legion Baseball Friday Night

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Jul 072012

Mark Boland moves out of the way of a bad pitch.

The Orange American Legion Post 127 Baseball Team beat North Haven 5-0 Friday night at Brinley Field.

First baseman Mark Boland (24) hit a home run, a single, and a double.

Mike Concato (25) pitched the entire game for the win.

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Orange Blanks North Haven 5-0 in Legion Baseball Friday Night

Mark Boland had a phenomenal game on Friday night.

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Orange Legion Baseball Blanks North Haven 3-0

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Jun 282012

File photo from June 26

After a couple of back-to-back losses, the boys of Orange Post 127 American Legion baseball are back!

The team was victorious Wednesday night beating North Haven 3-0.

Tonight they are back in North Haven again. Go get ‘em guys!

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Orange Legion Is 4-0

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Jun 192012

By PHIL BRODSKY

Sports Writer

Adam Kyasky on the mound.

Following narrow 2-1 and 4-3 victories over West Haven Post 71, Orange Post 127 unloaded the big bats and clubbed post 71 11-2 Monday night at Brinley Field. In addition to sweeping its 3 game summer series with the losers, undefeated Orange improved its Zone 2 record to 4-0 while winless West Haven saw its record dip to 0-4.

Noting that his team banged out 9 hits and received 12 walks, winning coach Bob Mirto said, “We hit the ball hard tonight but they also got caught short on pitching and gave up a lot of walks.”

Of the dozen free passes handed out by West Haven ’s 3 hurlers, half of those base runners came around to score.

Post 127 wasted no time jumping on the losers’ starting pitcher, Jeff Hill for a pair of first inning runs. He walked Nick Baviello and Grayson Amaroso, the first 2 batters he faced. Vin Siena then ripped a one hop blast off the left-center field fence to drive in Baviello. Hill then loaded the bases by hitting Brian Speer with a pitch to load the bases and then forced in another run when he walked Mark Boland.

Trailing 2-0, things went from bad to worse for West Haven in the bottom of the third inning. An error by shortstop Alex Palmieri was followed by back-to-back 2-baggers by Speer and Boland. Boland’s double down the right field foul line drove home both Paul Gusmano and Speer and extended the winners lead to 4-0.

Clearly rattled by the booming Orange bats, Hill lost his control and proceeded to hand out free passes to Sean Butler, Adam Kyasky, and Nial Dammando. Baviello’s high drive into right field easily plated Butler . Successive bases on balls to Amaroso and Siena forced in another tally and opened up a 5-0 lead for Post 127.

At that point, West Haven Coach Dan Chambrelli brought in Alex Scranton to replace Hill. His control proved to be worse than Hill’s as he proceeded to walk 5 of the 6 batters he faced. By the time the inning ended, 3 more Orange batters marched across home plate and extended their advantage to 8-0.

Orange roster

Baviello doubled home another score in the bottom of the fourth inning and was quickly driven home on Amaroso’s infield single. Post 127’s final run came as Ted Ballou’s fielder’s choice erased Amaroso but also enabled Dammando to cross home plate.

Speer started and hurled 5 innings to pick up his first win of the summer. He allowed only 1 run on 1 hit and struck out 1 batter but also walked 6.

“Brian played outfield and also pitched some for Western New England College this spring. He threw the ball hard tonight but also gave out a lot of walks. He needs a couple more starts to get into a good rhythm. Brian has a great curve ball but he didn’t have commando of it tonight and as a result, was out of the strike zone more than he usually is,” Mirto said.

A fifth inning walk to Mark Lowe, an infield out by Jamie Brown, and successive wild pitched spoiled Speer’s shut out bid. The only hit he allowed was a fourth inning double by Eric Flores. Palmieri, who had previously drawn a free pass, tried to score from first base but was gunned down on a strong throw from center fielder Amaroso to catcher Paul Gusmano.

Kyasky came on to mop up the final two West Haven at bats and he gave up an unearned run in the top of the sixth inning.

Baviello led the winners with a pair of doubles, 2 runs, and a pair of runs batted in. Amaroso singled twice, scored a run, and added an RBI. Siena, who played only 3 innings, double home a run and added another RBI when he walked with the bases loaded. Boland doubled, scored a run, and added 3 RBI. Butler and Dammando each walked twice and scored 2 runs.

Mirto added, “Vin Siena really drilled that double off the fence and Bavs (Baviello) also hit the ball hard tonight.”

The undefeated winners go for their fifth straight victory Wednesday night with a 7 PM road game against Post 88 of Hamden. Last Friday night, Dane Simione hurled Orange to a 6-1 victory over Hamden . On Saturday, Nick Fusco made his Post 127 mound debut and defeated West Haven 4-3.

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Orange Legion Is 4-0

A file photo from a game against West Haven.
Orange roster

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Pokluda Pitches No-Hitter For Legion Season Opener

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Jun 152012

By PHIL BRODSKY

Sports Writer

Orange Legion Pitcher Austin Pokluda

Following the postponement of the first 3 games of the regular season, The Orange Post 127 American Legion baseball team finally launched its 2012 season Thursday night at Brinley Field. It was a brilliant launch to the season as Austin Pokluda not only defeated West Haven Post 71 2-1, he did not allow a base hit.

According to Pokluda, “From the fourth inning on, I knew I had a no-hitter but I tried to keep it out of my mind. The guys talked to me on the bench but nobody talked about me working on a no-hitter. We were more concerned about us not hitting the ball.”

While Pokluda was holding Post 71 hitless, his teammates managed only 2 hits off West Haven hurler Tyler Gambardella over the first 5 innings and trailed 1-0.With 1 out in the top of the first inning, Alex Palmeri walked, moved over to second base on a fielding error by Orange shortstop Nick Baviello and came around to score on Wes Gambardella’s fielder’s choice.

Thanks to Tyler Gambardella’s clutch West Haven clung to that slim lead for 5 innings. R.J. Moquet singled with 2 outs in the bottom of the third inning and Adam Kyasky did the same thing with 2 outs in the bottom of the fifth.

After not having a runner reach second base during the first five innings, the Post 127 bats finally showed signs of life in the bottom of the sixth. Chris Katz led off by beating out a bunt that he rolled down the third base line. Mark Boland’s sacrifice bunt moved Katz up a base. With 2 outs, Katz swiped third base and raced home on Paul Gusmano’s game-tying 2-strike double past third base and down the left field. Following Ted Ballou’s base hit, Gusmano scored on an error by Palmeri, the West Haven shortstop.

Now leading 2-1, Pokluda quickly set the visitors down in order in the top of the seventh and put his no-hitter into the books. In addition to holding West Haven (now 0-2) hitless, the UConn-bound Amity senior struck out 6 and walked only 1 batter. He allowed only three balls out of the infield—all easy fly balls that were snared by right fielder, Ballou, in the final 2 innings.

“ Austin pitched only 1 game for us last summer and that was in Rhode Island . He wasn’t as polished as he is now, but we saw that he threw hard, had good control, and was cool as a cucumber. For the most part, he worked out of the bullpen this spring for Amity, but he did start and was the winning pitcher against Shelton (the eventual CIAC Class LL state champs) in the SCC championship game,” Coach Bob Mirto said. “Tonight he threw only 80 pitches and proved that good things happen when you consistently throw strikes.”

He added, “Their pitcher kept us off balance with sliders and knuckle balls. For the first 4 innings we couldn’t hit the ball. Starting in the fifth inning, (our third time through the batting order) we got used to him, settled in, and began to hit the ball hard when he got it up in the strike zone. Our offense wasn’t explosive tonight but we did what we had to do to win the game. I liked seeing how we came from behind to win. It always feels good to open the season with a victory. This is a good team and the most experienced team I’ve ever had. They work hard and are focused on winning.”

Pokluda admitted that he has one style of pitching when he comes on in relif and another style when he is the starter.

He said, “When I come on in relief, I mostly concentrate on throwing my 2-seam fast ball hard. As a starter, I use more of my pitches (fastball, curve, and change. Tonight I began experimenting with a slider and tried hard to hit my spots more.”

The 1-0 Mirtomen return to Zone 2 action tonight with a 7 P.M. contest at Hamden Post 88 ( Hamden High School .) On Saturday, they visit West Haven in a 10 AM contest at Piurek Field ( West Haven High School .)

See our Orange Live Facebook Page for all photos.

Chris Katz steps up to the plate.

SLIDE!!!

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