Hamden Battles Blistering Heat, Beats Bethel

By Amber Kountz

BETHEL — The Hamden Post 88 American Legion baseball team battled the blistering heat and broke through with a big seventh inning to beat Bethel 7-4 Sunday and advance in the state tournament.

No. 13 Hamden (21-11) will take on Zone III champion Cheshire, the tournament’s fourth seed, in a best-of-three series that begins on Wednesday, July 22. The winner advances to the final four tournament in Middletown.

Hamden trailed Bethel 1-0 at the end of the first inning but took control of the game with four runs in the seventh and added a run apiece in the final two innings to close out the victory.

In addition to the 90-degree heat and humidity, the game was delayed 30 minutes due to excessive activity from the automatic sprinkler system at Hunt Field.

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Charlie Huegl got Bethel on the board with a single past second to score Sam Czel.

Hamden trailed but continued to battle.

Hamden coach Ray Guarino uttered one phrase after the first inning “Battle.”

It caught on quickly with the players and Hamden supporters.

Hamden was battling the suffocating heat Sunday afternoon and also expectations of being the underdog. Bethel was second in the Zone V standings behind top-seeded Waterbury and had the benefit of playing in front of its home crowd.

Hamden’s battle began with its defense.

During the second inning, Hamden left fielder Avery Shugrue facilitated a spectacular double play. Shugrue made an incredible grab deep in home run territory and then fired a throw to second to double up Bethel’s Jake Roper.

Center fielder Matthew Barnett added to Hamden’s impressive outfield defense by making a catch in five straight innings.

Hamden tied the score at 1-1 in the fifth when Barnett started things with a double to center.

Catcher Christian Colon called out “way to start it (Barney)” to motivate the team and the momentum carried over to the seventh inning.

Hamden loaded the bases with one out in the seventh and Colon blasted a shot past the third baseman to drive in three runs.

Two batters later, Marc Masciantonio hit a ball deep to left field to score Colon and Khaleb Cyril followed with an infield single to shortstop. Khaleb also walked and stole a base in the game.

Nick Tagliaferri started for Hamden and kept Bethel off the scoreboard after allowing the first-inning run. Tagliaferri finished with three strikeouts and was relieved by Zach Morgillo in the seventh.

Bethel greeted Morgillo with three runs to close the gap to 5-4. Bethel’s Abraham Defeo drove in one run and Czel brought in two more with a big hit.

Hamden fans began chanting, “Battle, Battle Hamden.”

Hamden didn’t allow another run.

Sam Kirchenbaum played flawless defense in center field and scored another run in the eighth inning.

In the ninth, Luke D’Ostillo doubled to center and scored on Shugrue’s sacrifice fly to center to make it the 7-4 final.