Darien Baseball Qualifies For States

Darien baseball had a simple task on Thursday. They needed to win their last game of the season to qualify for the state tournament.

And they did.

On a spectacular sun filled day the team's seniors were honored in a pregame ceremony. Then the Blue Wave took the field and beat Fairfield Ludlowe 9-1, behind strong pitching by Mackenzie Glavin and Dillon Duncan, to clinch a post season berth

Ludlowe got off to a fast start as leadoff hitter Victor D'Ascenzo reached on an error, advanced to second on a fielder's choice and scored on a double by Mike Kochiss. Darien threatened in the bottom of the first.

Bryan Previte had an infield hit, reached third on a ground out but was stranded there. The Blue Wave scored the equalizer in the second inning. Mike Stovall reached second base on an error.

With one out Tucker White singled to left moving Stovall to third. On an attempted double steal, White stole second but the shortstop cut off the throw to second and threw Stovall out at the plate. Andrew Maley had an infield hit and White scored when the throw to first was mishandled.

Darien put the game away in the fourth, perhaps the most important inning of the season. Stovall singled to center, Tommy MacLean beat out a bunt, and White walked to load the bases with no outs.

Ludlowe's second baseman made a diving stop on a hard groundball by Maley but a throwing error scored two runs giving the Blue Wave a 3-1 lead. With one out Carruthers walked reloading the bases and a sharp single to center by Previte drove in the fourth run.

With two outs Sam Gillespie singled to center driving in two more runs and advanced to second on a throw to the plate. The last two runs scored when Stovall beat out a groundball to short bringing in Previte, and Gillespie, on a heads up play, came around to score from second base.

After the dust had settled, Darien led 8-1. They tacked on a run in the fifth on hits by Brendan Donohue and Carruthers.

The starting pitcher Glavin recorded the win going five and two thirds innings conceding only one unearned run and Duncan came on to get the final four outs including two strikeouts.

The CIAC will announce the pairings for the state tournament on May 25th. Depending on how many teams qualify, Darien could play their first tournament game on the 26th.

Editor's note: Clyde White is the father of a player on the Darien High School baseball team.