nothin New Haven Independent | Branford’s 10-year-old All Stars: “They Never…

Branford’s 10-year-old All Stars: They Never Quit”

Bill O’Brien Photo

Coach Palluzzi talks to the team after the loss to Orange.

The Branford 10-year-old all star baseball team had a good run after starting the divisional playoffs with two straight defeats to the Hamden and Milford all stars. They then rattled off three consecutive wins over division foes North Branford, West Haven, and East Haven to qualify for the district playoffs.

Andrew Carfora pitched very well against Orange, allowing no runs.

Branford’s first game in the district was against the always-tough Annex Little League All Stars at Sliney Field and the game turned out to be a nail biter. Compared to earlier playoff games where Branford was averaging nearly 13 runs a game, this game turned into a pitcher’s duel with Branford edging out a 4 – 3 win.

The game was scoreless until the bottom of the fourth when Branford scored the first run. Annex rallied in the top of the fifth with back-to-back hits to score two and take the lead. Branford rallied in the bottom half of the inning for three additional runs on hits by Jakie Palluzzi (pictured), Jaeden Konesky, and Will Henderson to go up 4 – 2.

Here Konesky fires one to first to get the runner. 

Annex made it close with one run in the last inning and leaving the tying run on base. Quinn Sotero (picture), Giuseppi Piscitelli, and Will Henderson pitched well for Branford limiting Annex to only three runs.

Will Henderson pitched well in the Annex game,

Two days later Branford played the Orange All Stars at Bassett Field in Hamden. Branford lost their first game 7 – 4 after four straight wins. Orange scored a run in the first inning and six more in the second to pull ahead 7 – 0. Branford had the bases loaded in both the first and second innings, but couldn’t score.

TJ Shields rips a ground rule double to right field against Orange.

Here Harry Smith gets a single in the Orange game. 

Tim Rice hit a grounder up the middle.

Here Giuseppe Piscitelli pitches in the Annex game.

We had our chance early to get some runs but weren’t able to capitalize,” said coach Jake Palluzzi. We left a lot of runners on base in the game, that’s for sure.” Branford scored a run in the fifth inning, but also left the bases loaded then as well.

In the fourth inning, Branford put together a couple by Tim Rice and Eric Zielinski (pixtured) and scored three runs to make it 7 – 3. They also added single run in the fifth on a hit by Jack Linder, a stolen base, and a ground rule double by TJ Shields that bounced over the right field fence.

Here Linder nails the runner at second.

Andrew Carfora pitched very well against Orange, allowing no runs.

Andrew Carfora (pictured) oentered the game in relief in the third inning and shut Orange down with no additional runs the rest of the game. He did a great job,” said Palluzzi. He kept us in the game by cooling off a very good hitting team.”

He added, I was very happy with the way the boys played in the tournament. Once they got their bearings they played very well, and I really liked the fact they never quit.”
 
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