Hamilton Delivers at Dunkin’

GHS senior Elliot Hamilton struck out 10 and allowed only one hit as the Guardians blanked Simsbury 12-0 in Hartford on on May 24.

Glastonbury senior Elliot Hamilton wasn’t the biggest or hardest throwing pitcher at Dunkin’ Donuts Park last Tuesday Night.
           
But he was clearly the best
           
Hamilton threw a one-hitter, striking out 10, to outduel Simsbury’s senior flame-thrower Dylan Scudder as the Guardian trounced the Trojans 12-0 at the home of the Yard Goats on May 24.
           
“He showed tonight what he could do. He competes, he’s relaxed, and he’s got good mound presence,” GHS head coach Dennis Accomando said of Hamilton. 
           
After walking the first batter, Hamilton turned into the Trojan terminator, retiring the next 17 batters.
           
“There is a radar gun here so I think I was just trying to overdo it a little, but as soon as I walked the first guy I told myself to relax,” recalled Hamilton, who will pitch at Salve Regina University. “Typically in every game I pitch I start to get better as the game goes on and once I was warm after the first inning I felt more confident.”
           
Hamilton struck out the sides in both the third and fourth innings, and had a no-hitter going into the sixth before Simsbury’s Jacob Goodwin chopped a ball towards the pitcher’s mound. 
           
After slipping on the mat in front of the mound, Hamilton scooped up the bouncing ball and fired it to first base, but Goodwin beat his throw.
           
Hamilton kept his fastball speed throughout the night, throwing in the mid-80s into the 6th inning. 
           
Scudder, who stands at 6’6”, was throwing in the upper-80s early on and overwhelmed the top of the Guardians’ order by striking out the side in the first inning.
           
Following the shaky first inning, the Guardians experienced lineup settled in and was patient at the plate, drawing several walks and wild pitches, and got timely hits over the final six innings. 
           
“We preach adjustments,” stated Accomando. “Adjustments have been our downfall this year, but tonight we made great adjustments and we had to learn the umpire’s zone. We felt like we ran the bases really well, which is great.”
           
Colin Martin was walked to start the 2nd inning before eventually scoring on a wild pitch. Jayden Sgro popped a shot over second base, driving in Drew Curto in the 3rd inning.
           
The Guardians would add ten more runs over the next four innings, including two each from Hamilton, Owen Stephens, and sophomore Noah Scurto. 
           
Scurto, who also drove in two runs after smacking a triple to deep center in the 7th inning, was one of several underclassmen that came out of the dugout to get experience in the big venue. 
           
Accomando said the younger players have performed well all season, adding, “we’ve been talking a lot about watering the roots and preparing for the future and building sustainable growth. You have to get guys like that time and make sure they are getting that experience.”
           
Sophomore Cody Heselton relieved Hamilton to start the 7th inning, fanning a pair of batter, before senior Dan Beagle came in to close out the game with a strike out. 
           
“He 100% earned that opportunity and I’m also glad that his teammates were able to reward him with that,” Accomando said of Beagle, who will pitch at Muhlenberg College. “He has led by example and he’s worked hard every single day..”
           
Hamilton, Beagle, and Dan Cantafi—who will pitch at Keene State College—have led a senior-laden pitching rotation this season. 
           
Hamilton said the night under the lights in Hartford is a moment that the seniors will never forget, adding that senior team manager Ari Poliner hyped the team up with a speech before the game.
           
Prior to the season, Accomando had his seven senior players write essays about what kind of legacy they wanted to leave.       
           
“All seven of them talked about how it is bigger than themselves to play Glastonbury baseball and that they wanted to make sure the future classes at Glastonbury understood what it meant,” Accomando recalled. “They have all pulled the same rope and have been fantastic. They have all faced adversity at some point this year, but they are a very selfless, close class.” 
           
As the lights began to turn off at Dunkin’ Donuts Park, the team left the nearly dark stadium with fresh memories of a dozen-run win to cap a 14-win regular season.
           
Accomando was the last to exit.
           
​“Any time you play at a park like this is special,” stated Accomando. “These guys will remember a night like this.”