Cromwell Baseball Peaking at the Right Time

The Cromwell baseball team is looking awfully similar to the team that captured the 2012 state championship. This season’s squad rebounded from their second loss of the season, a 3-2 road loss in Portland, and easily defeated Old Saybrook 8-1, improving their record to 11-2. The Panthers now sit alone atop the Shoreline conference, where they have won all seven of their conference contests this season.

Senior Logan Lessard pitched six scoreless innings and drove in four runs on three hits to help Cromwell complete the season sweep of Old Saybrook. Cromwell jumped out to an early 3-0 lead after the first inning and never looked back.  

Kevin Radziewicz scored three runs in the road victory. The senior captain has led the charge at the plate this season, driving in 13 runs on 21 hits. He has a robust .525 batting average and has hit the team’s lone homerun in 2014. He is also team’s catcher, where he has not committed an error all season and specializes in throwing people out while they attempt to steal bases. The strong-armed righty has mowed-down 9 of 11 players attempting to steal this season.

Multi-sport senior Mike McNally has been just as consistent from the plate, driving in 10 runs on 16 hits. He also leads the Panthers with nine stolen bases and has only been thrown-out once in his ten steal attempts. 

McNally has also been a gem in the infield, which is a welcome sign to the team’s pitching staff. Lessard is undefeated in his five starts and Jake Regula leads the team with 34 strikeouts in five appearances. Junior Tucker Lord completes the Panther’s three-man pitching rotation, striking out 21 batters in his four appearances on the mound. The three pitchers have also helped their own cause, driving in a combined 37 hits from the plate.  

​The 2012 team finished the season winning their final 12 games, before dusting Derby in the championship game. These Panthers have four games left in the regular season before the Class S tournament starts. They host rival Cogincaugh this Friday at Cromwell High School. The Panthers are undefeated at home this season and edged the Blue Devils in Durham in late-April. First pitch for the rematch is 3:45.