By Joe Morelli
Schools Sports Editor
jmorelli@nhregister.com
Foran baseball coach Ken Walker died late Thursday, Foran athletic director and close friend Anthony Vitelli confirmed Friday morning. The cause of death is still to be determined.
Walker, 60, had just completed his second year back at Foran. His first stint as head baseball coach was from 1986-2003.
"We're all just devastated," Vitelli said. "Kenny has been a positive influence for thousand of our student-athletes at Milford High, Jonathan Law, and Foran High school for nearly 40 years."
A 1969 graduate of Milford High, Walker also coached football at Foran from 1990-95, winning the Class M state championship in 1994 over Hand. He served as an assistant in football at Milford, Law and Foran from 1973-89. He also was an assistant baseball coach at both Milford and Law before coming to Foran, finishing with 279 victories.
Walker was a physical education teacher at Foran. Vitelli worked with Walker for the past quarter-century.
"He was respected throughout our town and througout the coaching community in our state," Vitelli said.
Walker was the Register's Area Coach of the Year for baseball in 2011.
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Who is the Team of the Year?

Touch 'Em All update

CHAMPIONSHIP SATURDAY -- Chris Corum-Giles drove in the game-winning runs with a two-RBI double to help third-seeded Fitch overcome an early three-run deficit and capture the Class L crown 6-4 over No. 24 New Canaan  Saturday at Palmer Field in Middletown.

With the win, Fitch could be in good position to take the No. 1 spot in the upcoming New Haven Register poll if Shelton falls in the Class LL title game tonight at 7 p.m.

The Falcons  trailed 3-0 before a third inning RBI triple from Aaron Hill made it 3-1. Hill later scored in the third on a groundout to make it 3-2 .

Fitch would eventually tie it at three before the Rams' Nick Cascione put New Canaan back up with a RBI single.

An error allowed Fitch to tie it in the sixth at four. That set the stage for Corum-Giles. With two on, playing in his final game at Fitch, the senior came through with a two-run double to give the Falcons a 6-4 lead.

This was the Falcons' fourth title and their first since 2005. In '05, Fitch defeated Amity 10-0 in the Class LL final.

For more Touch 'em All Championship updates, keep checking here all day and follow me on Twitter @NHRHenryC

The Best of Ryan Daiss

BRISTOL – Shelton’s Ryan Daiss is used to the road ending here. While behind the plate as a catcher, he watched the Gaels lose in the Class LL semifinals two out of the last three seasons. In his senior season, with the ball in his hand on the mound, Daiss had a strong feeling that the season would not end here.

“Daiss told me, ‘coach we’re going to get over the hurdle today,” Shelton coach Scott Gura said.

Gura should take this Daiss to Vegas.

The senior struck out eight in a complete game and had a two-run double to send the No. 4 Gaels to the Class LL title game in a 7-1 victory over No. 8 East Hartford at Muzzy Field on Tuesday. After losing in two of the last three Class LL semifinals, the Gaels finally got that monkey off their back.

However, Gura knows the work is far from over. Shelton lost in the Class LL title game in 1989 and 1990. In 1989, the coach was a player on the team that lost to Simsbury 7-1.

And Gura had a message for his guys.

“I told them to enjoy it,” the coach said. “It’s going to be something that you relive throughout your lives. It’s an accomplishment to get to a state championship game.”

For more Touch 'em All updates keep checking back here and follow me on Twitter @NHRHenryC

CLASS LL

No. 5 Ridgefield at No. 4 Shelton, Sunday at 3 p.m.
No. 18 Southington at No. Amity, Sunday at 11:30 p.m.

CLASS L

No. 24 New Canaan at No. 16 Hand, Sunday at 4 p.m.

CLASS M

No. 9 Haddam-Killingworth at No. 1 Montville, Sunday at 3 p.m.
No. 12 Ansonia at No. 4 St. Joseph, Sunday at 2 p.m.

CLASS S

No. 24 East Catholic at No. Northwest Catholic, Sunday at 2 p.m.
No. 10 St. Bernard at No. 2 Derby, Sunday at 3 p.m.
No. 14 Terryville at No. 11 Westbrook, Sunday at 3 p.m.

For more Touch 'em All updates keep checking back here or follow me on Twitter @NHRHenryC