Caitlyn Rand ’13 and Claire O’Halloran ’13
Staff Writer and Web Features Editor
Gau ’11 contributed to the team’s defense, averaging one strike-out per inning. | Photos by Caitlyn Rand ’13
After ending the regular season with a solid record of 15-5, the Staples baseball team faced New Canaan in the FCIAC quarterfinals on their home field, and walked away with a 3-0 win.
The Wreckers came into the match a little uneasy about the renowned New Canaan pitcher, Alex Farina ’11. However, after losing 8-7 to the Rams in one of the closest games of the regular season, the Wreckers were ready for revenge.
Rob Gau ’11 pitched all seven innings, dominating the game with his breakneck fastballs. Gau averaged one strikeout per inning and gave the Rams only a few walks to first. The senior pitcher was backed up by a powerhouse of infielders and outfielders, which prevented New Canaan from scoring any runs at all.
Gau did not neglect his job of watching runners eager to steal, however, and after numerous attempts at throwing down to first, he ended the game with a successful throw down to first that caught the leading runner by surprise.
The Wreckers had virtually no errors in the field. Infielders like Bryan Terzian ’13 were unstoppable as they prevented any ball from getting by. What especially made the Wreckers defense stand out was the numerous double plays made between Mike Scott ’11 and Tyler Jacobs ’11 at shortstop and second, respectively, and Colin McCarthy ’11 at first base.
At the plate, the Wreckers put up a tough match against a difficult pitcher. Though the Wreckers faced a few more strikeouts than normal, they kept up their usual power hitting abilities. The score remained tied 0-0 until Staples’ Brendan Bernstein ‘11 hit an RBI sending Ben Lipper ’11 home at the bottom of the third inning. In the same inning, as the Wreckers continued their hot streak, McCarthy hit a double to right field, allowing Scott and Bernstein to come home.
Even though it was a battle, the Wreckers came out of the game happy with their hitting. “Facing a good pitcher, I thought we did pretty well today putting the ball in play,” Gau said.
All in all, the Wreckers couldn’t have asked for a better game. “We really needed this after losing last week [to Greenwich],” Terzian said.
The Wreckers definitely got what they needed. “We played really well defensively,” Gau said. “It was one of the best games of the year.”
Coach Jack McFarland agreed. “The kids played great. They were really excited,” McFarland said. “We had great defense and Rob Gau pitched a great game. We’re excited to go to the semi-finals.”