Fairfield Warde Goes Into Overtime To Beat Staples In Baseball Final

MIDDLETOWN, CT — Heading into the Class LL baseball championship game between Fairfield Wade and Staples at Palmer Field Saturday, expectations were high for a pitching duel between a pair of Division I-bound hurlers. For five innings, fans were treated to just that, until an uncharacteristic stretch of wildness began to befall the two.

Staples starter Hiro Wyatt, who is headed for the University of Southern California in the fall, found himself in a two-out jam in the sixth inning, following a single and two hit batsmen. However, he retired opposing pitcher Griffin Polley on a fly to right to end the threat.

Meanwhile, Polley, who has committed to James Madison University, was cruising along, allowing just one hit through the first six frames and retiring nine consecutive batters in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings. When Wyatt hit the Mustangs' Kyle Justo with the bases loaded in the seventh to force in a run, Warde appeared on the verge of locking up its second straight state crown.

With three outs to go, Polley hit Holden Caney and walked Chris Zajac. After an unsuccessful fielder's choice loaded the bases, David Gervasio looped a short fly to right which fell in, scoring pinch runner Andrew Oppenheimer with the tying run. A pickoff at third base helped Warde escape the jam, forcing extra innings.

Staples had a chance to win in the bottom of the eighth, placing pinch runner Nick Sikorski at third with two out. Polley bore down and struck out Sinjin Videler to extend the game into the ninth.

The tenth inning began with Wreckers' relief pitcher Kai Nee hitting Jimmy Dobbs with a pitch. Pinch runner Jake Harmony took second on a passed ball, then scored two outs later on an RBI single by Polley off reliever Nick Porzio.

Sophomore Austin Howard, who came on to pitch for Warde in the ninth to replace injured reliever Paddy Galvin, walked John Farnen and Jaron Kline to open the bottom of the 10th. Farnen was forced out at third on a sacrifice bunt attempt by Taylor Brundige, then Caney and Rhys Jamali flied out to end the ballgame.

"I had to re-focus and lock back in," Howard said. "There was no more room for error."

The victory was the third state title overall for Warde, while the Wreckers had been hoping for their fourth state crown and first since 2019.