Marut Hit Hard in Wilton's Early Exit from FCIAC Playoffs

This was not the start the Wilton Warriors anticipated from the ace of their staff .

Kurt Marut was knocked out in the fourth inning after allowing eight runs, as the fourth-seeded Warriors suffered a 12-7 loss to No. 5 Fairfield Ludlowe on Monday afternoon in the quarterfinals of the FCIAC baseball playoffs.

The UConn-bound pitcher, who was 8-0 during the regular season, showed that he was not unbeatable.  Marut surrendered four runs in the first inning when the Falcons batted around. The fourth run of the inning came on a bases-loaded walk.

"Kurt just didn't have it today," Wilton coach Tim Eagen said.

Ludlowe advanced to take on No. 8 seed Westhill in the semifinals on Tuesday at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport. Westhill upset top seed Staples, 7-4.

As they had done all season, the Warriors responded as they touched Ludlowe starter Zach Garoffolo for four straight hits in the bottom of the first,  including an RBI double by Marut that pulled Wilton within 4-3. 

Taking over after Garoffolo recorded only one out, reliever Alex Capozziello balked in a run while facing his first batter, leaving the contest tied after a wild opening frame.

However, Wilton never led and Marut couldn't regain his composure, continuing to strugle.

"He just couldn't get command of anything," Eagen added. "Whether it be fastball, curveball, slider or changeup; he just couldn't get control of anything." 

In he second inning, Marut hit the leadoff hitter before walking in another run to give the Falcons a 5-4 lead.

The poor performance on the mound was not the sole reason for the loss as the defense behind Marut and reliever Jack Palumbo committed several key errors that extended innings and raised the pitch count.

Ludlowe demonstrated superior plate discipline, drawing eight walks and capitalized by swiping six bases to constantly put runners in scoring position.

"We took advantage of the opportunities they gave us," Ludlowe coach Keith O'Rourke said. "We took advantage of their mistakes."

"Baseball is a game of adjustments, and when you can't make adjustments, you can't win a game of this magnitude," Eagen added.

The Falcons added another in the third and held a 6-5 lead going into the fourth. 

An inconsistent strike zone and shaky control finally caught up to Marut, as he was pulled without recording an out in the inning.

Palumbo inherited two runners and couldn't extinguish the rally, allowing three Ludlowe runners to cross home, the last coming off a suicide squeeze with one out,  to push the lead to 9- 5. 

Palumbo ended the rally with a strikeout, as Wilton looked to regroup and mount a late charge.

The comeback never arrived, as a poised Ludlowe team added another run in the fifth to increase its lead to five runs.

Emotions were running high in the Wilton dugout as the Warriors knew they were on the verge of a first-round exit after a solid 16-4 regular season.

Palumbo worked out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the sixth, but the Warriors only scored one run in the seventh as a desperate rally fell short.

A running catch in foul territory by Ludlowe star leftfielder Bill Malone ended the game, leaving the Warriors to think about the state tournament that begins next week

"We have to find a way to make to improve these kids' frame of mind, to get their confidence back that allowed them to win 16 games this year," Eagen said.