By Cooper Boardman

STAPLES WRECKERS

LAST YEAR’S MATCHUPS: Staples routed McMahon when the teams squared off on April 27, 2016. The Wreckers entered the game on a four game losing streak, but the team pounded 13 hits in an 11-1 victory over the Senators. Chad Knight led the way on the mound, with five innings pitched and just two hits allowed. Knight also got it down in the batter’s box, knocking a two-run home run, and Ben Casparius went 2-4 with two runs scored and an RBI. Matt Brown and George Goldstein also saw time on the mound in the win.

WHERE THEY STAND: After a 4-4 start, in part due to back-to-back games against some of the state’s best after rainouts, the Wreckers seem to be back on track. Staples responded with three straight wins, outscoring opponents 46-6 in that span.

A TALE OF TWO TEAMS: Robert Stone perhaps stated it best in the team’s opening night banquet—”I’ve been a part of the winningest team in program history, and the only team in the last decade not to make the FCIAC playoffs.” An FCIAC and state finalist in 2015, the Wreckers failed to qualify for the league’s postseason and fell in the Class LL second round in 2016. Like last season, Staples enters 2017 as a title contender and is attempting to reaffirm this status as it heads down the stretch.

WHEN IT RUNS, IT POURS: The Wreckers have scored at least seven runs in five of the team’s six victories this season. Conversely, in the team’s three losses, the Wreckers have cobbled together a grand total of one run.

COMMANDING THE SENATORS: Staples has won four straight matchups with the Senators, with the team’s last loss coming all the way back in 2012, a 3-2 defeat on the road. The Wreckers have not lost to BMHS at Staples Field since the CIAC began keeping baseball schedule records in 2007.

VOLUNTEER, LAMADE AND STAPLES: 10 of the 11 players on the 2013 Westport Little League World Series team are on the Staples varsity roster. That team—which advanced to the U.S. Championship—won a Connecticut and New England title. Westport Little League Assistant Tom Whelan said: “I think that all the boys associated with Westport Little League, not just the boys from the LLWS, that try out for the Staples baseball team will not have any issues with the transition to high school ball. This is a byproduct of the hard work of the Westport Little League board that make sure all children have the ideal baseball experience from K to eighth grade.”

GLIMMERS OF HOPE: After a sluggish start in 2016, the Wreckers rattled off seven victories in their final 10 games—momentum they hope will carry over into 2017.

TESTS ON THE HORIZON: The FCIAC’s best is still yet to come, as the Wreckers have 6-1 Ridgefield, 5-1 Westhill, 6-1 New Canaan, 5-1 Norwalk and 5-2 Darien still to come.

HEAD COACH JACK MCFARLAND ON LAST YEAR: ”Injuries really hurt us. If we can stay healthy our season can be much better than last year… We didn’t pitch last year as well as we have in the past.”

WHAT BEN CASPARIUS HAD TO SAY BEFORE THE SEASON: “The way we play off the field is going to be the way the season goes.”

WHAT MICHAEL FANNING HAD TO SAY BEFORE THE SEASON: “There’s something about this team that’s really special, good guys good teammates… Everyone shares the drive to win, everybody has the common goal of getting those rings on their fingers.”

WHAT ROBERT STONE HAD TO SAY BEFORE THE SEASON: We can do something truly special, [if we] put team ahead of any personal interests for next 8 weeks. Now let’s go get some rings.”

BRIEN MCMAHON SENATORS

2016—HOT, NOT: Last season was an odd one for the Senators—Brien McMahon was one of the surprises in the league, getting off to blazing start and winning eight of their first 10 games. But the second half of the season was the turning point—and not for the better—McMahon fell to Staples by 10 on April 27, and after that game went just 1-9 in its final 10 games, including a qualifying round exit in the state tournament.

DON’T SLEEP ON THE SENATORS: Despite a slow start, Brien McMahon has played well in tight games. The Senators have won two games by one run and have one loss in walkoff fashion.

STRUGGLES AGAINST THE BEST: The Senators are 0-3 against teams that are above .500 in FCIAC play this year. In those games, they are scoring about 2.7 runs per game and have been outscored by a combined 13 runs.

NOT OUT OF THE WOODS: Seven of McMahon’s final 10 opponents are above .500 in FCIAC play. The Senator’s final two opponents this week—Staples and Danbury—have each won three in a row.

THE ACE: Andrew Matthews ’17’s line against versus Bunnell on April 5 was 6 IP, 3 H, 4 BB, 4 K. Matthews would have started on opening day but was held back due to injury precautions. He will be a key arm for the Senators this spring.

OPENING THEIR DOORS… KIND OF: McMahon will debut a brand new all-weather turf baseball facility this year, but construction delays have slowed progress and the field is not yet ready for the Senators to play on. Until the field is playable, BMHS will play many of its games at Nathan Hale Middle School—the Norwalk Bears’ home turf.
TEAM SPEED: The Senators will rely on good team speed led by centerfielder Griffin Root ’17. “I hope that will translate into causing disruptions for opponents,” Head Coach John Cross said.