Stratford Defeats Fairfield 19U in Extras in First Round Of Playoffs

Anthony Espinoza pitches during extra innings on Thursday

Stratford defeated Fairfield 19U 4-2 in  13 innings in the first round of the double-elimination Fairfield County Baseball League Playoffs. The game started on Wednesday and finished on Thursday due to darkness at Kiwanis Field in Fairfield on Wednesday. 

Stratford put up a run in the first inning, before Fairfield came back to take the lead in the third. 

In the third, Anthony Espinoza led off with a double. Jack Varcoe then laid down a bunt and the third baseman threw the ball down the right field line, allowing Espinoza to score and Varcoe ended up at second. 

Two batters later, after a past ball put Varcoe at third, he came in to score on a ground-out to shortstop by Jack Hernandez as Fairfield led 2-1. 

Stratford came back to put up a run in the third to tie the game at 2. 

The game would be a pitchers duel and remain tied inning after inning. After the ninth inning on Wednesday, the umpires said one more inning and if nobody scored, the game would be suspended. Well, the game remain tied at two and would have to be picked up on Wednesday. 

The first two innings of the resumption (the 11th and 12th innings) were scoreless for both sides, with Stratford getting the lone base runner, Stratford would take the lead in the top of the 13th. Three singles and a wild pitch led to two Stratford runs to take the lead and eventually win the game. 

Fairfield got strong pitching from the trio of Joey Sanguiolo, CJ Montiero and Anthony Espinoza, including three shutout innings of relief from Montiero, who struck out five. 

Fairfield will play Wilton, who fell to Ridgefield on Wednesday, on Friday at 5:30 at Kiwanis Field in an elimination game. 

Some photos from the storm damage at Kiwanis Field. Full reporting here!