West Haven’s Eddie Zandor pitched a complete game Sunday as the Sailors beat Manchester, 7-1, to win their first ever CCBL championship.
A few moments after he fanned 14 Simsbury Sabercat batters and led his West Haven Sailors to a two-run win over the Sabercats, West Haven Sailors pitcher Matthew Wootton talked about the playoff success of his Connecticut Collegiate Baseball League squad.
“We’re playing amazing,” Wootten said. “Everyone is hitting and doing their part. If we keep doing that, we’ll win a championship.” He knew what he was talking about.
West Haven stumbled into the CCBL playoffs. They won only nine games this year, earned the No. 6 seed in the end-of-the-season tournament and went 1-4-2 in the final seven games in in the regular season.
But in the playoffs, West Haven got it done. The first-year team won their first CCBL championship Sunday with a pair of victories over the Manchester Mavericks at East Catholic High School.
Wooten struck out just five but gave up just one hit as the Sailors beat Manchester, 2-0 to force a decisive contest for the league title. It was the first loss of the tournament for the Mavericks.
In game two, West Haven’s Rob Olah hit a grand slam and drove in six runs while pitcher Eddie Zanor went the distance and struck out just two to lead the Sailors to a 7-1 victory and the title.
Olah, the Trumbull High graduate who plays at Post University in Waterbury, had a great day going 3-for-5 with eight RBI and two home runs in the two games. He was 1-for-2 with six RBI in game two and 2-for-3 with two RBI and a solo homer in the first game.
West Haven’s Matt Wootten won his second playoff game Sunday in a 2-0 win over Manchester.
Earlier in the week, Wootten, who will be a sophomore at Eastern Connecticut State in September, was dominant in a 2-0 win over Simsbury, striking out 14 and allowing just one hit.
The two teams met again on Saturday in an elimination game with a berth in the finals on the line and the Sailors prevailed again, 5-3, with pitcher Jafar Vohr striking out 10 in a complete game performance. The Sabercats’ Jeremy Zarwanski (Avon) had two hits including a home run but Simsbury made four errors giving up five unearned runs.
On Sunday, Wootten won his second game in the playoffs. The Sailors picked up some offensive assistance from Olah, who had a RBI single to center field in the first inning and a solo home run in the third inning as West Haven beat Manchester, 2-0, at Penders Field at East Catholic.
In championship game, West Haven scored six unanswered runs in the first three innings to take control of the game. Olah hit a grand slam in the first inning to give the Sailors and early 4-0 lead.
West Haven 2, Manchester 0
At Manchester
West Haven 100 100 0 – 2-7-1
Manchester 000 000 0 — 0-2-0
Matt Wooten, Aidan Ricciardelli (6) and Jason Ostorowski; Alessio Pressamarita, Zack Nakonechny (6) and Hank Penders: WP: Wooten; LP: Pressamarita; Save: Ricciardelli; 2B: Jason Ostrowski (WH), Matt Solomon (WH), Jake Montas (M); HR: Rob Olah (WH)
West Haven 7, Manchester 1
At Manchester
Manchester 000 100 0 – 1-2-0
West Haven 411 001 x – 7-6-2
Jake Timme, Ethan Utermarck (2), Matt Motyka (4) and Motyka, Hank Penders (4); Eddie Zanor and Jason Ostorowski; WP: Zanor; LP: Timme; HR: Rob Olah (WH)
