May 15, 2008
Baseball: Ridgefield in mix for FCIAC home game
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For the first time in a while, the Ridgefield High baseball team doesn’t just have to focus on the state tournament.
Last Wednesday’s 13-4 win over Trinity Catholic also secured a rare FCIAC playoff berth for the Tigers, who will begin the eight-team conference tournament on Monday.
Ridgefield also beat Joel Barlow, 7-5, in a non-conference game on Thursday and lost to St. Joseph, 3-1, on Monday.
Sitting at 12-4 in the league and 14-4 overall, Ridgefield was fourth in the FCIAC entering the final two games of the regular season. But head coach Tony Wilmot was just happy to be in the tournament.
“We could be anywhere from three to six,” he said of the final seeding. “And any of those are as likely as the next. Friday is interesting because nobody is going to throw their best pitcher because they have to save him for Monday.”
If Ridgefield finishes in the top four, it will play a home game on Monday.
The Tigers played a weak Bridgeport Central (5-13) team yesterday (too late for this issue) before ending the regular season Friday at McMahon-Norwalk (12-4 FCIAC) with the fourth seed on the line. But that’s secondary to Wilmot.
“I’m not pitching Sam on Friday because I need him for Monday,” Wilmot said of his ace, Sam Robertson. “And I assume McMahon is the same way. That’s just the way you’ve got to do it with the tournament starting Monday. You can’t worry about your seeding. I could battle for the seed but then I’d be out of pitching on Monday and that makes no sense.”
The only thing, in terms of seeding, that’s been decided is that barring an epic collapse, Stamford will hold on to the top spot.
Ridgefield can secure the third seed with wins over Central and McMahon, and a Trumbull loss to Greenwich. It would then likely face Westhill on Monday.
If both Trumbull and Ridgefield win out, the Tigers would get the fourth seed. And likely face McMahon on Monday.
“If we win out, we should lock up at least number four. One thing I’ve learned this year is that every team has a significant ace, every team has a guy that can flat out throw, so you have to be careful what you wish for,” Wilmot said. “From a first-round standpoint, there’s nobody I’m looking forward to.”
Wilmot tabbed Hayden Metz to face Central yesterday and Doug Rohrer to start against McMahon tomorrow (Friday.) That will leave Robertson to start the first round of FCIACs on six days rest. If the Tigers advance, Metz would then line up to go Wednesday in the semifinals and Robertson again in the finals next Saturday. But Wilmot knows it’s a long road to get to Harbor Yard in Bridgeport and the semifinals.
“It’s all hands on deck because it’s single elimination, so you have to do whatever you have to do to get to that next round,” Wilmot said. “If Sam’s not pitching well on Monday, I might go to Hayden in relief if I felt that was our best chance because you got to get through Monday. You worry about Wednesday, Wednesday.”
Rohrer stole the show in Ridgefield’s 13-4 win over Central both at the plate and on the mound. He threw six scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and a walk, and went 3-for-4 at the plate with a run and an RBI.
Gilbert Alicea chipped in with two hits, two RBIs and a run, and Spencer Judge reached base four times with three walks and a single.
Chris Dinucci struggled in relief of Rohrer, allowing four runs (one earned) in two-thirds of an inning. John Morrison came on to get the last out and secure the victory.
Against Joel Barlow, the Tigers fell behind 5-2 in the top of the third but stormed back with a run in the third and fourth and three in the fifth to win, 7-5. Andrew Rebhorn struggled on the mound, allowing five runs (four earned) in two and two-thirds innings, but Morrison was stellar in relief, throwing four and one-third shutout innings.
Robertson got the tough-luck loss in the Tigers’ 3-1 defeat at the hands of St. Joseph. He allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits in six innings. He walked one and struck out seven. But Jim Dimon was even better for the Cadets, giving up one run on five hits in the complete-game win.
Despite the excitement around the team, Wilmot knows he’s still got two games to go before the Tigers get to the tournament.
“It’s been a long time since we’ve been in the [FCIAC] playoffs, let alone had a home game,” he said. “This group of seniors, I’ve been with since I was the freshman coach. I’ve moved up as they have, so this is sort of the culmination of that.
“We talked about how this is what we started four years ago, let’s end it on a big note. We have the ability to do it. We’re 14-4 and rolling right along. We can finish strong, something we started collectively four years ago.”
© Copyright 2008 by Hersam Acorn Newspapers
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