Blogging...Newport, FALL and more

The Newport newspaper

I've been trying to figure out what to blog about for a while now. I always have topics, but I am like, 1) Do people care? 2) Do I have enough to write about? What I should do, it what Rob Adams does on his blog calls "Off The Bench" where he hits on multiple topics in one blog post. I don't want to be a copycat but maybe I call it something like "From the Dugout" as a baseball reference, or something completely different. It does not have to be sports related, but obviously sports are my life so that is what most will be.

So where do I start....

We took a one-night trip to Newport, Rhode Island and I took so pictures. Let's be honest, isn't that what you do nowadays. Go away. Take pictures. Post pictures to social media/blog (I posted them to Instagram earlier). Of course I had to take a picture of the newspaper (above). Newspaper and journalism matter.

Ice Cream from Fred's Shanty (New London, CT)

 

Water off the cliff walk

Salve Regina sign from the Cliff Walk

A building along the Cliff Walk...….

I want to build a baseball field on the lawn! 

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The aforementioned Rob Adams and I have been calling Fairfield American Little League Baseball (FALL) We broadcasted a bunch of games last year and they asked Rob to come do it again this year so Rob mentioned it so I have joined him again this year. I love baseball, played Fairfield American regular season spring/fall house league, and have made it clear what the town means to me, so I have a blast doing it.

We saw Fairfield American win their first two games of District 2 Pool Play at Unity Park in Trumbull. The defeated Westport and Trumbull American. On Thursday, FALL faced cross-town rival Fairfield National. This got my whole "One-Town" slogan or #OneTown for you Twitter people, going. I've used this working at both Warde and Ludlowe in the Athletic Departments.

Fairfield American jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first but Fairfield National came from behind, scoring four in the fourth, to defeat FALL 5-3.


Fairfield American will be back in action on Monday when they play Trumbull National at 5:30 at Unity Park in Trumbull. Tune in for the broadcast at mixlr.com/robcasting-radio.

The Fairfield American coaches have been great to deal with. Manager Dan Seek and assistant coaches Phil Veas and Marshall McIntosh have been extremely helpful to Rob and I and we've also just had good time chatting. We were talking Yankees and Mets prior to today's game.

Action between FALL and FNLL 

By the way, when we have headsets on and broadcast equipment next to us, that likely means we are broadcasting and can't talk. This is a problem when I know so many people in Fairfield and people say hi.

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Speaking of Ludlowe and Warde, it was a great first year working in the Athletic Departments at both schools. Thanks to both AD's, Todd Parness and Seth Fry, for first off, hiring me, and for their help and patience with me with year one with the job. I hope I was helpful and can't wait for what next year has to bring.

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Oh, and I got an iPhone a couple weeks ago. Even though I had a "smartphone," a Samsung Galaxy (and Android phone), I have been told by multiple people that I am now in the 21st century. I love the phone so far. The battery is much better than I thought it would be. I have a ton of space. The phone runs fast and I can download apps I couldn't previously. The camera is much better. Oh, and I can be in group chats that I couldn't before and won't get yelled at for not having an iPhone and for being the source of "green text messages" when we have a group text and I was the only Android user in the group,

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I hope to blog more consistently. If anyone has any thoughts for the blog, feel free to comment or Tweet at me.

2019 Ludlowe Baseball -30-

The seniors and coaches at Senior Day 

The 2019 Ludlowe baseball season came to an end with a state quarterfinal loss to Southington.

I had an absolute blast in my first year on the coaching staff. I know I continued to be around after gradating, but it was definitely different this year being on staff. I can't thank Coach Francese enough for bringing me on staff. I hope I was helpful.

This is not about me though in the least. I have already said too much in that regard. It was a great job by our collective coaching staff, which was up to 10 people at times. It's not even about that though. It's about our players, who ranged from 24-31 during the regular and postseason, and the 15 seniors who put their heart into this program for the last four years.

While we didn't win anything, it was a great season, It wasn't a "season for the ages", though, as some people have said. We finished the regular season at 16-4, the best regular season record in school history. We also tied the record for most overall wins in a season, with 20. 

We had a fantastic start to the season, winning our first eight, including three in traditional walk-off fashion and one on a mercy rule walk-off. The biggest win of the regular season, in my opinion, came when we defeated Staples 14-0. That being said, there were a bunch a great wins.

We were the two seed in the FCIAC tournament. We opened up the conference tourney by facing cross-town rival Warde, who had beat us 8-0 a week prior in the regular season match-up. We had to come from behind in both the seventh and the ninth but came away with an exciting 5-4 win on a walk-off wild pitch.

A great semifinal win over Darien lifted us to the FCIAC Championship against Staples. It was the first FCIAC Championship appearance since the 2010 team took home the title. We came up one out short as Staples came up with two runs in the seventh to win the title, 2-1.

We faced Warde for a third time to open up the Class LL State Tournament. The offense started fast, scoring four runs in the first en route to a 7-2 win. In the second round we faced Simsbury and it was the same story, as we won 8-2.

Against Southington, we got down 3-0 early, but the guys kept battling as they cut it to 3-2 and had a chance in the seventh.

This has been a team all season that kept continuing to fight until the last out and I love the resilience they showed. You guys played for each other and the name on the front of the jersey.

To the fifteen seniors: Derek, Vince, Chris, Brian, BK, Greg, Tom, Jack, James, Matt, Ryan, Liam, Jake, Jeff and Trey - Congrats on great careers and a fanatic senior season. Thank you for being great teammates and leaders and best of luck in the future.

To those coming up through the ranks and those returning from this seasons team, there is a bright future and be hungry to continue what has been built.

Long live Ludlowe Base 2019 (Apparently it will go back to being Ludlowe Baseball going forward and Ludlowe Base leaves with the seniors). Can't wait for Ludlowe Baseball 2020. But for now, thank you seniors!

Falcon Pride!

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