The 2017-18 New Haven Register Area Baseball Team. Compiled by Joe Morelli. Portraits by Catherine Avalone. Designed by Pete Paguaga.
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Most Valuable Player
Pat Winkel
Amity
Stats: Lefty batted .493 this season for the Spartans. Had 6 home runs and 21 RBIs. Walked 27 times and had 34 hits en route to breaking the Amity record for career hits. Winkel finished his career with 14 home runs and 112 RBIs.
Honors: Gatorade Player of the Year. CHSCA Player of the Year and three-time CHSCA All-State selection. SCC Player of the Year and three-time All SCC selection. 2017-18 Collegiate Baseball Pre-Season All-American. 2017-18 Rawlings-Perfect Game All- Northeast Region First Team. 2017-18 Rawlings-Perfect Game Pre-Season Third All-American. 2017 SCC Tournament MVP. Two-time All-Area selection. Was selected in the 31st round of the MLB Draft by the New York Yankees.
Off the field: National Honor Society member. First honors every semester. Milford Hospital Summer Volunteer. St. Barbara Greek Orthodox Church camp counselor. Branford Community Dining Room Soup Kitchen Volunteer.
Up next: Will play at UConn next season.
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Coach of the Year
Bill Mrowka
Cheshire
Stats: Led the Rams to a 21-5 record which included the Class LL state championship. The team finished No. 1 in the final GameTimeCT poll. The Class LL championship game win gave him 250 wins for his career.
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Chris Borter
Hopkins
Stats: The junior batted .414 with 17 RBIs and 9 doubles. Borter didn’t strike out one time this season. On the mound he went 4-3 with a 1.96 ERA with 43 strikeouts.
Honors: All-Fairchester Athletic Association selection.
Off the field: Shoes for Africa President.
Up next: Looking to play at an Ivy League or high academic Division I program.
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Ben DeLaubell
Cheshire
Stats: The senior right-hander went 9-1 on the mound and had a 0.45 ERA en route to leading the Rams to the Class LL state title and the No. 1 ranking in the final GameTimeCT poll. Struck out 66 batters in 61 innings and batted .326 with an OPS of .939. Led the Rams with 28 hits, 21 RBIs and 3 home runs. For his career he finished with 19 wins pitching and set a school record with 25 doubles. Threw a no-hitter against Notre Dame-West Haven.
Honors: Two-time All-SCC selection. Two-time All-Area selection. CHSCHA All-State selection. Three-time All-SCC Academic selection.
Off the field: Honor Roll. SCC Scholar Athlete for Boys Basketball. Link Crew Leader. Peer Health Educator. Project Adventure Leadership Seminar. Mentor for younger students.
Up next: Will play at the United States Military Academy.
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Zach Edwards
Seymour
Stats: Batted .436 this season with a .563 OBP. Out of the leadoff spot he scored 44 runs and added 25 RBIs and three home runs. Helped lead the Wildcats to the Class M state title.
Honors: NVL All-Copper Division selection.
Off the field: Spanish Club.
Up next: Will play at Western Connecticut State University.
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Peyton Farina
North Haven
Stats: The catalyst for the Indians batted .319 on the season with a .472 OBP. He walked 22 times while scoring 24 runs. He stole 13 bases and struck out just three times.
Honors: Two-time CHSCA All-State selection. Two-time All-SCC pick.
Off the field: President of the Media Club.
Up next: Playing baseball at Western New England University next season.
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Matt Hunyadi
Shelton
Stats: Hit .500 on the season with 37 hits. Hit .749 with runners in scoring position and had 23 RBIs and 3 home runs.
Honors: All-CHSCA selection. All-SCC selection.
Off the field: National Honor Society. Spanish Honor Society. CAS Scholar Athlete.
Up next: Will play at Bentley next season.
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Will Lucas
Fairfield Prep
Stats: At the plate the shortstop batted .475 with 38 hits, 11 doubles, 7 triples and 5 home runs. He added 32 RBIs and scored 23 runs while stealing 20 bases. The right-handed went 6-1 with three saves and allowed just an earned run in 24 innings. He struck out 31 batters and had a 0.29 ERA.
Honors: Two-time CHSCA All-State selection and two-time All-SCC selection. SCC Tournament MVP.
Off the field: Played quarterback for the football team.
Up next: Will play at UConn next season.
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Joe Mancini
Fairfield Prep
Stats: On the mound the senior was 7-0 with a 0.88 ERA in 48 innings of work. He also had 52 strikeouts and 2 saves. At the plate he had 27 hits, 2 home runs, 4 triples and 7 doubles to go along with 12 stolen bases.
Honors: CHSCA All-State selection. All-SCC pick.
Off the field: Also played ice hockey.
Up next: Will play at Boston College next season
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Jack Nolan
Amity
Stats: The Spartans slugger batted .378 this season and knocked in 28 RBIs. He had 28 hits and scored 23 runs. For his career he knocked in 78 batters and batted .403.
Honors: All-SCC selection.
Off the field: Three-year boys basketball starter., helping lead Amity to the Division II state championship game.
Up next: Will play at Central Connecticut State University next season.
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Tyler Osborne
Hamden
Stats: Led the Green Dragons with 3 home runs and tied for the team lead of 14 RBIs. He batted .373 on the season with a .442 OBP and he stole 13 bases. On the mound Osborne became the Green Dragons’ ace as he went 5-0 with a 1.75 ERA. Struck out 36 batters in 26 innings and allowed just 23 hits on the season. Threw 2 complete games.
Honors: All-SCC selection. CHSCA All-State selection.
Up next: Will play at St. Rose next season.
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Noah Rubino
Guilford
Stats: The right-hander went 6-2 with a 0.70 ERA and 1 save. In 60 innings he struck out 79 batters and allowed just 6 earned runs.
Honors: CHSCA All-State selection. All-SCC pick.
Off the field: CHSCA All-State and All-SCC and All-Area selection in basketball. Peer Minster. Coaches basketball and baseball for kids.
Up next: Will play at Siena next season.
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Mike Sansone
Notre Dame-West Haven
Stats: The senior lefty threw 60 innings and had a 1.60 ERA. He only walked 5 batters all season.
Honors: CHSCA All-State selection.
Up next: Will play at Fairfield University next season.
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Ryan Strollo
Cheshire
Stats: Made a habit of getting on base a lot. On top of batting .338 he had a .519 OBP. He walked a school-record 24 times and scored 22 runs while knocking in 15 RBIs and hit 2 home runs.
Honors: CHSCA All-State selection. All-SCC pick.
Off the field: Distinguished Honors. All-Academic Team. Volunteer Elim Park Baptist Home.
Up next: Committed to play at Fairfield University.
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Alphonse Suppa Jr.
Branford
Stats: Hit .373 this season with an OBP of .449 and a slugging percentage of .639. He had 31 hits, 13 doubles, 3 home runs and had 33 RBIs. On the mound he was 3-2 with 1 save in 46.2 innings, struck out 41 batters and allowed just 14 earned runs.
Honors: Two-time All-SCC selection, CHSCA All-State selection. George Dummar Baseball Award for the school.
Off the field: Academic Honors.
Up next: Will play at UConn Avery-Point next season.
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Eddie Sweeney
Hand
Stats: Coming off an injury-shortened season the senior slugger went right back to work. Hit a school record 9 home runs to go along with 27 RBIs, 21 runs scored and 21 hits. Also batted .420. He finished his career as the Tigers’ all-time home run leader with 14 career home runs.
Honors: Two-time All-Area, All-SCC and CHSCA All-State selection.
Off the field: Film and review club. Volunteered at food shelters.
Up next: Will play at Cheshire Academy next season.
