WEST HAVEN, July 28, 2022 – The defending Connecticut Collegiate Baseball League champion West Haven Sailors continue to battle in their quest to defend their league championship.
The Sailors erased a four-run deficit with five runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to beat the Simsbury Sabercats Thursday night, 9-8.
With the victory, West Haven (20-8) won their third straight elimination game and advances to face Hamden on Friday night with the winner advancing to Saturday’s championship round against Wallingford.
The No. 1 seeded Sailors dropped their first game of the tournament to the Sabercats earlier this week and have had to battle back through the consolation round. West Haven bounced Brass City and eliminated Manchester, 3-2.
On Thursday night, West Haven trailed the No. 8 seeded Sabercats by four runs, 8-4 in the bottom of the seventh inning.
West Haven’s Phoenix Billings had a RBI triple to cut the lead to three runs, 8-5. After a walk, Jeremy Rodrigues had a two-RBI single to cut the lead to one, 8-7. With one out, Matt Soloman’s RBI single tied the game at 8-8. With two outs, Josh Wettemann;’s RBI double won the game for the Sailors.
West Haven had five hits in the inning and got two walks from Simsbury pitchers.
Billings was 3-for-3 with four RBI for West Haven while Jake Chaco was 3-for-4. Rodrigues was 2-for-4 with three RBI.
Simsbury (10-18), who eliminated No. 2 seed Southington on Wednesday night with a 3-2 win in eight innings, just couldn’t get that key out in the final inning.
Bryon Carr had two doubles for the Sabercats while Isaac Rosario, Joshue Selander and Jon Wilson each had doubles. Carr was 2-for-4 with four RBI while Tyler Mackowski and Ryan Laubscher were each 2-for-4.
West Haven 9, Simsbury 8
At West Haven
Simsbury (10-18) 230 003 0 — 8-12-0
West Haven (20-8) 200 020 5 — 9-13-0
Garrett Fusco, Arjun Grover (2), Nate Licina (3), Joshua Selander (6), Tyler Brzezicki (7), James Morr (7) and Bryon Carr; Matt Goehrig, Ryan Delilo (2), Mike McCaulagh (4), Samuel Huffman (6) and Logan Pfannebecker; WP: Huffman; LP: Morr; 2B: Josh Wettemann (WH), Tony Socci (WH), Phoenix Billings (WH); Bryon Carr (S), Isaac Rosario (S), Joshua Selander (S), Jon Wilson (S); 3B: Billings (WH)
2022 Connecticut Collegiate Baseball League playoffs
