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Captains win 16u B 2019 Fall Championship
Captains place 3rd in 13u 2018 Cooperstown Tournament
Captains place 3rd in 13u 2018 Cooperstown Tournament
After going 10-4 during the regular season, the Captains won three straight single-elimination playoff contests, capped by a 6-3 victory over Stamford in the title game Nov. 3.
Myles Gythfeldt of Ridgefield was the winning pitcher in all three playoff games, including a 3-0 complete-game shutout over Bethel. Gythfeldt pitched 15 innings over the three games, allowing a total of six hits, one earned run and one walk while striking out 13 batters. He finished the fall season with a 7-0 record and an ERA of 0.78 in 46 innings.
Jonny Lintel (Weston) started for the Captains in the championship game and pitched three innings before giving way to Gythfeldt with Stamford ahead 3-2.
The Captains took the lead with a three-run rally in the bottom of the fifth inning. Brendan Busby (Ridgefield) led off with a walk and Justin Heinsohn (Ridgefield) reached on perfectly executed bunt down the first-base line. After a passed ball advanced the runners, Gythfeldt dropped a suicide-squeeze bunt to tie the game.
With two outs and runners on second and third, Grady Gernert (Ridgefield) singled on a 2-2 count, scoring Heinsohn and Gythfeldt to put the Captains ahead 5-3.
Gythfeldt held Stamford scoreless over the final two innings and the Captains added another run to close out the triumph.
Gernert was 3-for-8 with two walks and four stolen bases in the postseason and also contributed with nice defensive plays in center field.
Danny Weiss (Ridgefield) was 3-for-6 with two walks and four runs scored, and Heinsohn went 2-for-4 with three walks and three runs scored. Heinsohn also pitched well during the season, allowing no earned runs in 15.2 innings.
Max Pizzolato (Monroe) hit a line drive home run in game one of the playoffs, and Chris D’Orso (Ridgefield) had a two-out, line drive single to center to score Heinsohn in game two.
Hunter Jewell (Ridgefield) added solid defense at shortstop while Chris Amato (Weston) batted .459 (17-for-37) with six doubles, two triples, a home run, and 13 RBIs over the course of the season.
Lintel was solid in the bullpen for the Captains, finishing with four saves, two wins, and a 1.96 ERA.
Captains place 3rd in 13u 2018 Cooperstown Tournament
Captains place 3rd in 13u 2018 Cooperstown Tournament
Captains place 3rd in 13u 2018 Cooperstown Tournament
Competing against both international and domestic opponents, the Fairfield County Captains went 4-1 in pool play and then reached the playoff semifinals, losing to the eventual runner-up team from the Dominican Republic.
Following that setback, the Captains defeated a team from Oneonta, N.Y., in extra innings to secure a top-three finish.
Leading the way on the mound for the Captains was Hunter Jewell of Ridgefield. After pitching a no-hitter during pool play against a team from Wawautosa, Wis., Jewell allowed only a contested infield hit in a playoff victory over a team from Milan, Mich.
Offensively, the Captains were led by Danny Weiss (Ridgefield - .400 batting average, seven RBIs), Aiden Stern (Ridgefield - .300 batting average, nine runs scored), and Justin Heinsohn (Ridgefield - .333 batting average).
Stern also pitched for the Captains and had a win and a save, while Heinsohn contributed several highlight-reel defensive plays at first base.