Post 83 Continued Legacy While Establishing Own Identity

The athletes on Branford's Senior American Legion Post 83 baseball team entered this season knowing all about the storied squads from yesteryear. Rich Balzano's program had won state and Northeast Regional titles in 2005 and 2007 so the expectations were typically high as Branford's players aimed to carry on that legacy. But at the same time, Post 83's athletes wanted to carve their own niche in Branford baseball history rather than simply follow in their predecessors' footsteps, and in the end, that's exactly what Balzano's club did.

Post 83 proved a pitching-rich and defensively sound team that manufactured runs by getting timely hits and had a penchant for winning close games. Consequently, not only did Branford capture the Zone II title for the first time since '05, it then prevailed at the state and Northeast Regional tournaments to earn a trip to the World Series.

"This team enjoyed having our program's history in their corner, but also wanted to separate itself and create its own history," Balzano said. "It took a few games to get going, but then the kids started to gain confidence and believe that they could beat anyone they were up against."

Branford hit its stride around midseason as a 12-game winning streak, which included a no-hitter by Pat Simone, propelled Post 83 to the top of Zone II. Shaun Coughlin then tossed a perfect game versus Hamden that put Branford in prime position to claim the crown, which it did when Jeff Stoddard threw a four-hitter in a 5-0 triumph against Orange.

After that, it was state tournament time as Post 83 defeated Trumbull 4-2, Bristol 5-4, New London 2-0, and then downed Oakville 5-2 in the winners' bracket final to advance to the championship. Post 83 faced Oakville again in the finals and lost 4-1, but because Oakville had previously lost to Branford and come from the losers' bracket, it needed to beat Balzano's squad twice to take the title whereas Post 83 needed just one victory. Branford got that victory the next day as John Lefeber singled home Casey Dadio with the go-ahead run in the top of the seventh inning to spark a 5-2 triumph that saw Simone and Stoddard combine for a sterling effort on the mound. Oliver Hart was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player and also earning all-tourney distinction were Dadio, Coughlin, Buddy Shea, and Dan Mercado.

Post 83 then took its momentum from states into the Northeast Regional where it first downed Essex (Vermont) 6-5, followed by a 6-4 triumph against Auburn (Maine), a 5-0 victory against Goffstown (New Hampshire) that clinched its berth in the final, and then an 8-1 loss to East Longmeadow (Massachusetts). Branford squared off with East Longmeadow again in the championship and prevailed 2-1 as Jesse Castaldi's bases-loaded walk forced home Lefeber with the go-ahead run in eighth inning. Simone pitched 8? innings for the victory with Coughlin getting the save. Simone, Dadio, Hart, and Mike Forgione made the All-Regional team for Branford with Simone winning MVP.

Branford thus advanced to the World Series in Spokane, Washington, where it took a 15-7 defeat to Moline (Illinois) and then an 8-6 loss to Kernsville (North Carolina), a game that saw Balzano's team battle back from an early five-run deficit. All totaled, his squad went 34-10 on the summer.

"The most important part of our team was that our athletes believed in each other and cared about how their teammates were doing," Balzano said. "If someone was the hero one night, that guy was just as happy for the next game's hero and that was one of the main reasons why we were one of the best eight teams in the country."

Of course, Branford's outstanding pitching staff certainly played its part as Coughlin, Simone, Stoddard, and Lefeber comprised a fearsome foursome. Coughlin, a North Branford resident and recent Xavier graduate, will play at the University of Maine; Simone, who graduated from Branford in 2009 and was also a designated hitter, is slated to play at the University of New Haven after a semester at Gateway; Stoddard, also a first baseman, is entering his senior year with the Hornets; and Lefeber, a Branford resident who also played right field, just graduated from Hamden Hall and will play at Bowdoin College. Hart, a Guilford resident who graduated from Xavier and will play at Northeastern, was the squad's closer and starting shortstop.

Post 83's catcher was Shea, who will be a senior at Branford; and the backup was Alex Pantani, a Branford resident who will be a junior at Notre Dame-West Haven. Castaldi, who graduated from North Branford and will compete at Manchester Community College, played first base. The second baseman was Mercado, a North Branford resident and Notre Dame-West Haven graduate who will try to walk on at the University of Connecticut. Forgione, who will be a junior at North Branford, started at third base.

Dadio, a 2009 Branford graduate who's entering his sophomore year playing at Western New England, was Branford's center fielder with Joe Perez, who will be a senior at North Branford, manning left field. Recent Branford graduates Brian Levchuk and Brian Levy were relief pitchers with the latter also playing the outfield. Levchuk and Levy will compete at Manchester Community College and Eastern Connecticut, respectively. Sam Kraszewski, who will be a senior at Branford, and North Branford graduate Matt Proto, were outfielders. Proto will attend Marist this fall.

Balzano, who completed his sixth season as head coach, was assisted by Doug Papuga and manager Chet Santoro, who Balzano thanked, along with the members of Post 83 and the team's sponsor, Massey's Glass, for their support.