Sports
North Branford Baseball Drops Thriller to East Haven
Thunderbirds score three runs in seventh inning to force extra innings.
It’s still early in the season, but North Branford and East Haven played a gripping baseball game Saturday that went nine full innings until the YellowJackets emerged with an 8-7 victory.
The Thunderbirds battled back from a three-run deficit in the bottom of the seventh to send the game into extra innings, then scored another run in the eighth to extend the game one more frame. But after East Haven scored another run in the ninth on a fielder's choice ground out, North Branford was out of gas. The leadoff batter reached base but was erased on a double play and the final batter struck out.
“I’m proud of my guys, they didn’t give up,” said T-Birds' Coach Billy Mitchell, as the team dropped to 1-1 after a season-opening 9-5 victory over Morgan on Wednesday.
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“They don’t quit, we’re lucky to get out of here with a win,” said Yellowjackets' Coach Butch Johnson, whose team improved to 2-1 after a 14-6 win over Guilford and a 4-3 loss to West Haven.
Yellowjackets relief pitcher Mike Anastasio closed the game out for the win. He started strong, recording four strikeouts in his first two innings, but gave up three runs in the bottom of the seventh that gave the T-Birds new life.
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“They were on everything he threw,” Johnson said. “We got to get him a little fine-tuned. He seemed to run out of gas for some reason.”
In the bottom of the eighth, down 7-6, the T-Birds loaded the bases with no one out but were only able to score one run.
“It was our best chance, but that’s the way it goes,” Mitchell said.
The T-Birds used three pitchers in the game with Taylor Gamache starting and going five innings before Kyle Johnson finished and took the loss.
East Haven first baseman Vinny Guglietti was the game’s top slugger, recording two doubles and a sacrifice fly to knock in two and score a run.
“He’s a great hitter, all-area last year, you’re almost disappointed when he doesn’t get a hit,” Johnson said.
Sage Leonard knocked in the first run in the seventh for the T-Birds and starting pitcher Taylor Gamache poked a two-run single to tie the game.
The fans were treated to two more innings before East Haven escaped with the victory.
Both teams play again today with North Branford traveling to Haddam-Killingworth while East Haven hosts Foran.
