Just a few days after an inspirational comeback against Trumbull, the Staples Baseball team improved their record to 2-0 with a 4-1 victory against Brien McMahon at home.
Junior Robby Vallone earned the win, recording a complete game 1-hitter, with the only run coming in the first inning. Despite his strong performance, Vallone bounced the credit around.
“I started off a little bit wild but once my team scored a few runs for me that really calmed me down. Terzian, Smith, and Ellinwood all made great plays in the field. This outing was a great start for me and for our team to build off of.”
Down a run in the second, the Wreckers struck back. An RBI single for junior Nick Vega tied the game up, and after senior Doug Bonenfant made it 2-1, a wild pick-off attempt increased Staples’s lead to two runs.
Vega, whose two hits led the team, credits the team’s strong start to a vigorous off-season schedule. “One of the reasons we are able to start off so hot as a team every year is because of our preseason work ethic. We play a lot of teams in scrimmages and it’s very helpful that the hitters are able to get a lot of at bats.”
In the fourth inning, Staples scored their final run of the day when senior James Frusciante’s single knocked in Vega, who gotten on base with his second single of the day.
Matt Smith, whose diving catch with two men on base to end the top of the third inning helped Vallone keep up his stellar start, has high aspirations for the team this season.
“The FCIAC is very competitive this year, 15 different teams could take home the title. We’ve been playing solid defense and have had great pitching; if we keep that up we’ll be tough to beat.”
The Wreckers played Masuk this Saturday, April 6th, and next play Norwalk away on Wednesday, April 10th.
