Amanda Jessey scored on Allison Luzzi's single with one out in the Top of the eighth inning to lift No. 6 East Haven to a 1-0 win over No. 3 Seymour in the Class M state quarterfinals on Friday in Seymour.

Jessey reached on a two-base error to lead off the inning.

Junior Talia Loda allowed just three hits and struck out six for East Haven (21-4), which will play No. 2 Granby in the semifinals on Monday or Tuesday, most likely in West Haven.

Luzzi had three hits. Miranda Baldassare, McKenzie Miessau and Laura Anderson also had hits for the Easties.


Katie Petroski doubled, while Morgan Scinto and Makayla O'Hara singled for Seymour (21-4). Freshman pitcher Raeanne Geffert allowed six hits and struck out nine.

East Haven pushed then unbeaten Seymour to the brink of elimination before falling short, 3-2, in the second round of the Class M state tournament last season.

With the return of 13 letter winners and a talented freshman class, the expectations were certainly lofty for the Easties this season.

Those talented seniors and promising underclassmen have not disappointed. East Haven is 9-1, and ranked in the Register Top 10 Poll for the first time in school history according to Easties coach Ed Crisafi.

The fast start, though, is not completely unexpected. East Haven is unbeaten (4-0) in the Southern Connecticut Conference Oronoque Division.

“Honestly, we knew we were going to be good,” Crisafi said. “This good? No. But I knew we would have a shot at the division. I thought we would qualify for the SCC tournament and have a shot in the state tournament, all those goals that you set every year.”

The one area of slight concern was pitching but junior Talia Loda and freshman Ireland Miessau have both been effective.

“I don’t think we knew how good our pitching would be,” Crisafi said. “I knew Ireland would be good, and I knew Talia would be improved, but they have been outstanding. This is how we hoped it would be. I think pitching is the main reason why we are 9-1.”

Loda is 5-0 with 36 strikeouts in 37 innings and an earned run average of 0.38. She has allowed just two earned runs and 18 hits.

Miessau, meanwhile, is 2-1 with 19 strikeouts in 21 innings and an ERA of 1.33.

East Haven has also been sound defensively. The Easties have committed just two errors.  

As a team, East Haven is batting .404. Freshman third baseman Allison Luzzi, the team’s No. 2 batter, leads the Easties in average (.533) and runs batted in (15). Senior leadoff hitter Amanda Jessey is hitting .481 with a team-leading 11 runs and six stolen bases.

Senior catcher Brianna Spadacenta is hitting .355, senior shortstop Miranda Baldassare is batting .364 and senior center fielder Jenna Gaudioso is hitting .400.

Spadacenta recently surpassed 100 career hits. Baldassare is nine hits and Jessey 12 away from reaching that milestone.

The Easties have just one game this week, at Guilford on Thursday.

East Haven has the most wins of any team in the SCC and owns victories over North Haven (7-2), Foran (6-2) and North Branford (6-2).

“We’re stressing right now that they have to go out on the field like they’re the best team,” Crisafi said, “and that the other team has to play their best ball to beat you. We tell them all the time to act like you’re an elite team.”

Jenna DiLorenzo had an RBI single and Corina Zdrowski drove in a run on a sacrifice fly to lead third-seeded Amity to a 5-3 win over No. 7 East Haven in the semifinals of the Southern Connecticut Conference tournament Thursday at Biondi Field in West Haven.

Amity (18-4) had only five hits off East Haven (15-7) pitcher Talia Loda but the Easties made five errors, which led to four unearned runs.

Brianna Spadacenta hit two doubles and had an RBI and Jenna Gaudioso hit a two-run double for East Haven.

Amity will face either No. 1 Foran or No. 5 Mercy in Saturday's championship game.

NORTH HAVEN 4, EAST HAVEN 2

East Haven scored twice in the bottom of the seventh inning in an attempt to rally from a 4-0 deficit, but fell short in this SCC Oronoque Division contest to North Haven, losing 4-2. The Easties had two runners on with two outs, but a deep fly out ended the game.

HIGHLIGHTS

NORTH HAVEN: Kristyn Cullen had a hit, a run and two RBIs,  Brittany Murray had three hits and an RBI and Mary Casey had a hit and drove in a run.
EAST HAVEN: Gabby Comesanas had two hits and a run and Veronica Hribko had a hit and an RBI.

WP: Arianna Pustari, North Haven (W 6-2): 7 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 5 BB, 5 Ks
LP: Talia Loda, East Haven: 7 IP, 9 H, 4 R, 4ER, 1 BB, 3 Ks

Team records: North Haven 7-3 (4-0); East Haven 6-3 (3-1)

Naturally, East Haven will spend its spring vacation on a softball diamond. Just not one in this state, though.

During this week, the Easties will play nine unofficial contests, including three (Newington, East Hartford and Suffield) against fellow teams from Connecticut, at the Disney Wide World of Sports Athletic Complex in Orlando, Fla.

It’s a trip coach Ed Crisafi and the Easties last made in 2007, and the fifth overall for Crisafi.

Crisafi said expenses, among other factors, kept the program from traveling more frequently.

Read more here.


Seymour still No. 1 in latest Top 10 Poll.

Diamond Gems

A recap of last week's top performances.

HIT PARADE

Lauren Fitzgerald, Morgan: Senior hit three home runs and finished with four hits and four RBIs in a 12-9 win over Old Saybrook on Friday.

ACES

Meagan Halligan, North Branford: Senior pitched a perfect game and struck out 11 in an 11-0 win over Portland on Wednesday.

TEAM EFFORT

Foran: Defending Class L champions have started 5-0, including wins over Lyman Hall and previously undefeated East Haven last week.

WATCH THIS

North Branford (4-2) at Coginchaug (4-1), today, 3:45 p.m.: Two of the perennial powers in the Shoreline Conference square off in Durham.

For more Diamond Gems, click here.

Foran, the defending Class L champions, rode the arm of sophomore Jess Harkness to knock off East Haven in this battle of unbeaten teams in SCC action on Friday.

FORAN 3, EAST HAVEN 1

(at East Haven)

Highlights

Foran: Marissa Bruno had three hits and two RBIs. Brooke Phelan had two hits and scored.
East Haven: Tiffani Cancel had a hit. Amanda Palmieri scored.

WP: Jess Harkness (5-0), 7 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 17 Ks
LP: Talia Loda (1-1), 7 IP, 9 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 4 Ks

Team records: Foran 5-0; East Haven 6-1