DJ Sixsmith ’11
Web Sports Editor
After falling to Staples the past two years in the FCIAC championship game, the Westhill Vikings finally got their revenge May 24 by knocking the top seeded Wreckers out of the FCIAC playoffs. With the game tied at two in the sixth inning, the Vikings exploded for five runs against Staples ace pitcher David Speer ’10 and never looked back, defeating Staples 7-4.
The loss marked the lefty’s first loss of the year and it was a day in which he was not throwing his best stuff. The Vikings took full advantage of Speer’s flat fastball by rallying off six straight hits to begin the fifth. The middle of the Westhill order gave starting pitcher John Porter plenty of breathing with the DH Morgan Williams and the center fielder Ryan Curto each hitting two RBI singles.
Facing a 7-2 deficit, the Wreckers provided fans with a glimpse of hope when Danny Carbone ’10 hit a two run homerun in the bottom half of the sixth inning to make the score 7-4. After Jimmy Sikorski’ 10 relieved Speer with a perfect inning of work, the Wreckers were unable to manufacture a rally as Ryan Burke ’11 tapped out to third to give Westhill the upset.
While Westhill got away from the Wreckers in the fifth inning, it was tight early on. The home team was able to strike first thanks to Burke’s sacrafice fly in the third which put Staples on top 1-0.
However, Westhill immediately responded when starting catcher Alex Rough took Speer out of the park for a two run home run giving the Vikings a 2-1 lead. It was just the second time all season long that Speer surrendered a homerun.
In front of the largest crowd to grace Staples Field this season, the Wreckers were able to tie the game up in the fifth when Burke once again drove in a run with a sac fly to right.
The loss put an end to the Wreckers bid for a third straight FCIAC championship as well as captain Jack Hennessy’s ’10 chance to break the state record for most career hits. While Staples came in as the number one seed and winners of 18 games, a school record, this loss should come as surprise because Westhill was just one of two teams to beat the Wreckers during the regular season. Just as it was in this one, the Vikings were able to take control of the game thanks in part to an eight-run fifth inning against Rob Gau ’11.
It was a day of parody throughout the FCIAC baseball playoffs as Greenwich the number two seed in the tournament was the only higher seeded to team to make it out of the first round. Staples will now look to prepare for the state tournament where they are currently ranked as the number two team. The Columbia-bound southpaw will look to bounce back next week as the loss drops his career varsity record to 21-4.