Ruden Sports News

Baseball

Baseball Rotations A Key To Success; St. Joseph Softball On Early March

Dave Ruden

04.15.2014

New Canaan's J.R. Anderson is one of many top starting pitchers in the FCIAC this season. (Photo: Mark Conrad)

New Canaan’s J.R. Anderson is one of many top starting pitchers in the FCIAC this season. (Photo: Mark Conrad)

The recurrent storyline in late May of every baseball season may also be the trend for the next seven weeks as well.

For over a decade, lower seeds have won the FCIAC Tournament as often as higher seeds. The reason? Most of the title contenders have at least one good pitcher, the great equalizer.

This year, in a league that appears to be extremely top heavy, with what appears to be a larger number of very good teams than at any time in recent memory, more schools have at least one ace.

A perfect example is Trinity Catholic, which will be in a battle to try and qualify for the state tournament. A lot will hinge on the performance of Randy Polonia, who is as dominant as any pitcher in the league.

Extra Base Hits 450

This is a season when it will be critical who you play and when you play them. Do you face a steady diet of No. 1 pitchers or not?

“There are a lot of good No. 1s, and obviously you are definitely a better team with your No. 1 guy on the mound,” said Staples coach Jack McFarland, who has one of the league’s deepest pitching staffs. “The key is can you win a big game with your No. 2 and No. 3?”

Polonia had one of the most unusual statistical lines in league history a year ago: a 1-6 record despite a 1.17 earned run average.

Polonia gave up six runs in three innings in a loss to Trumbull on Monday, but just one of the runs was earned. Opponents will be hoping to avoid Polonia’s turns on the mound.

Greenwich was 3-0 and coming off a win over New Canaan before facing Danbury’s Corey Brosz, the MVP of last year’s FCIAC championship game, on Monday and suffering its first loss, 7-4.

Polonia’s coach, Tracy Nichols, said that while it might mean a few extra losses, for the good teams there is a benefit to facing good pitching. He points to the back to back league titles the Crusaders won in 1999 and 2000.

Strong pitching is just one reason Greenwich and New Canaan are league and state championship contenders. (Photo: Mark Conrad)

Strong pitching is just one reason Greenwich and New Canaan are league and state championship contenders. (Photo: Mark Conrad)

“Teams that were playing us were playing the Bridgeport schools either right before or after us,” Nichols said. “We saw a lot of other teams’ best pitchers. It hurt us winning some games, but when we got to the playoffs we weren’t going to see anyone we hadn’t seen before.”

New Canaan, Greenwich, Staples and Trumbull each have at least two top quality starters, which bodes well not just for the regular season but also the playoffs.

“I think anybody who has a second pitcher that rivals their No. 1 pitcher certainly is going to be in a world of good,” Nichols said.

Cadets On Early March

What to make of the FCIAC softball picture 20 percent — how fast the spring season flies — into the season?

Fairfield Ludlowe lost its opener to Stamford, then has rebounded to win three straight games, including an impressive 3-2 decision on Monday over Darien, which came in unbeaten riding three successive Erika Osherow shutouts.

Stamford is young but has looked good so far. Westhill is young and still finding its footing. Defending league champion New Canaan is also adjusting to a number of new starters.

Trumbull has a young team and, like Ludlowe, which it faces on Wednesday, has won three straight following an opening loss. Greenwich is 4-0 and definitely on everyone’s radar.

While there is a lot of unpredictability that will take time to sort out, if you want to make the safe bet put your chips in on another 4-0 team: St. Joseph. The preseason favorite, the Cadets thus far have lived up to the hype, outscoring their opponents by a 40-5 margin. That includes a 3-2 win over Lauralton Hall.

“The first part of our schedule is really brutal,” St. Joseph coach Jeff Babineau said. “Opening with Lauralton Hall is not an easy task. We have a new group of kids. I didn’t know if we’d be 2-2, 1-3 or 0-4.”

Babineau may be guilty of understatement there, but a blend of newcomers has mixed well with returning starters. The offensive leaders have been leadoff hitter Lauren Pitney, who is batting .500, and first baseman Tori Ceballos, who hits third in the lineup.

“They are both hitting very well,” Babineau said. “The whole order has been really good. Lauren has been crushing the ball.”

The Cadets have had a major hole to fill, the one left by graduated catcher Jenn Vazquez, who is now playing at Manhattan.

The team has a new dynamic this year, evidenced by Hanna Errico, a freshman sandwiched between Pitney and Ceballos in the No. 2 spot.

“She hits lefty, is really fast and plays a good second base,” Babineau said. “We’ve added speed. Last year we were station to station or Vazquez was hitting a bomb.”

Nicole Williams, a sophomore, has the starting pitching spot to herself and has done a good job after walking six against Lauralton Hall but stranding four runners at third base.

“It’s still too early to tell if we have any holes in the armor,” Babineau said. “We have five freshmen on the varsity. But we hit well and the pitching is there. I think we will be pretty solid.”

Top Of The Order

BASEBALL

1. Greenwich (3-1). An impressive showing by the Cardinals defeating New Canaan and Southington back to back before Monday’s loss to Danbury.

2. New Canaan (3-1). In a top-heavy league, the Rams still have the the most complete lineup and depth.

3. Darien (3-0). A number of ways you can go here with an assortment of talented 3-1 teams. The Blue Wave get the nod this week for being perfect.

SOFTBALL

1. St. Joseph (4-0). No grand pronouncements this early in the season, but it is going to take a lot to beat the Cadets, still smarting from losing in last year’s league final.

2. Greenwich (4-0). Getting ahead of ourselves? Quite possible the Cardinals and St. Joseph could both be unbeaten heading into their May 2 meeting.

3. Fairfield Ludlowe (3-1). The Falcons’ win over Darien is worthy of the third spot. Intriguing game Wednesday with Trumbull.

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