Good eye: what caught my eye from Wednesday's action

#ctbase – Spring has sprung and Flowers are already out, two teams did something for the first time, a few teams were so glad to get out and start the season that they stayed out a little longer and Foran walked to a win. Grab the allergy medicine, here’s what caught my eye.

OFF ON THE RIGHT FOOT – The Hyde/Hillhouse co-op put together two teams that have had their struggles as of late. The Academics had gone 0-24 in the Southern Connecticut Conference Hammonasset Division in the past three seasons and Hyde was 0-19 in 2011. The two teams came together in the Shoreline Conference and picked up a non conference victory in a 22-8 season-opening rout of Prince Tech on Wednesday. Chris Ruggiero had a two-run homer and four RBI en route to three hits. Jeremy Brown added three RBI and Kahlil Morant went deep for a three-run homer. This is the first win for either team since 2010. Hyde/Hillhouse is 1-0… Hamden first-year coach Chris Borelli picked up his first win at the program. The former Hand coach led the Green Dragons to a 12-1 SCC interdivisional victory over Wilbur Cross. Erin Moskal went all seven innings and picked up the win. Joe Tommaselli flirted with a cycle hitting a double, triple and going long en route to five RBI.

THE MAGIC NUMBER – Down by a couple runs in the bottom of the seventh at home, Career needed a big inning or it would start 2012 0-1. Coach Brad Chernovetz's boys got the job done coming up big with three runs to steal a season-opening SCC interdivisional victory 7-6 over West Haven. Greg Johnson, who led the Panthers’ basketball team to their first state title in school history, had the go-ahead RBI on a groundout. Will Jackson drove in a run and had two base hits. Matt Gagne paced coach Mike Anquillare’s ball club with three hits. Career is 1-0 and West Haven falls to 0-1. Melvin Santiago got the win for Career.

KEEP WALKING – Foran’s James Richetelli had a good eye yesterday and walked with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth to lift the No. 3 Lions over Cheshire 4-3 in a SCC interdivisional contest. Ryan Manning hit a three-run triple for the Lions as they start the season 1-0. Casey McCone came on in the ninth and got the win. For Cheshire Vincent Sansone had an RBI.

EXTRA, EXTRA – Foran wasn’t the only team that needed a few extra frames to come away with a win. Morgan picked up a 6-5 nine inning Shoreline Conference win over Valley Regional. Stefan DiCrosta drove in the game-winning run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. Tim Neri got the win for Morgan.

GREAT GRAB! – Paul Tupper kept Hopkins perfect at 3-0 by making a great catch in stride in the outfield to stop a Rye rally as Hopkins topped Rye (N.Y.) 7-5. Josh Knopf got the win on the hill, Jack Lubin and Tupper both had doubles and Stephen Falcigno had a triple.

CLUTCH – No. 10 Sheehan came dangerously close to dropping its first game of the season. Tied at 2-all heading to the seventh the Indians got a game-winning RBI from Brian Murphy to take the season-opening SCC interdivisional win 3-2. James Davvit picked up the win for Sheehan. Ben Monte had two hits and a RBI for Guilford.

FULL BLOOM – The top ranked Notre Dame-West Haven Green Knights started the season off right thanks to Gary Flowers. The senior hurler pitched a complete game shutout, striking out six to lead ND-West Haven over Branford 5-0 in a SCC interdivisional game. Flowers only gave up three hits in the ballgame. Kyle Lockery helped out his pitcher with a two-run home run in the fourth inning.

WEDNESDAY’S WINNERS

Pitcher                  (Team) Record

Melvin Santiago (Career)  1-0

Ray Kreiger         (Derby)   1-0

Ben Sullivan        (Fairfield Prep)  1-0

Casey McCone  (Foran)  1-0

Jake DeCarli        (H-K)       1-0

Erin Moskal         (Hamden)  1-0

Chris Ruggiero   (Hyde/Hillhouse)  1-0

Josh Knopf          (Hopkins)  1-0

Tim Neri               (Morgan)  1-0

Gary Flowers     (ND-West Haven)  1-0

Brian Testani      (Shelton)  1-0

James Davitt      (Sheehan)  1-0

Jason Holcomb  (St. Joseph) 1-0

Brian Caselli        (Stratford) 1-0

O’Brien                 (Watertown) 1-0

Troy DeLeon      (Xavier) 1-0

WEDNESDAY’S ACES

Gary Flowers, ND-West Haven: Struck out six and scattered three hits in a complete game shutout victory over Branford.

Troy DeLeon, Mike Alanese and Chris Dibble, Xavier: Combined to K 12 players in a 4-0 win over North Haven.

WEDNESDAY’S HEAVY HITTERS

Joe Tommaselli , Hyde/Hillhouse: Flirted with a cycle hitting a double, triple and going long en route to five RBI in a win over Prince Tech.

Shelton: Had 22 team hits and scored 16 runs in a 16-4 win over Hand.

Jordan Weiss, Stratford: Recorded a double, triple scored twice and drove in a run in the Red Devils’ 11-0 win over Brookfield in SWC action.

AROUND THE HORN

CT POST – No. 2 Amity started off the season well. Mike Cardillo has more.

CT POST – No.  5 St. Joseph survived. Emery Filmer has the scoop.

MIDDLETOWN PRESS – Coginchaug rallies against Hale-Ray. Jim Bransfield has the story.

NEW HAVEN REGISTER – Check out what happened yesterday.

– HENRY CHISHOLM