Wolcott 7, Derby 0

Photo: Melvin MasonThe Derby Red Raiders’ inaugural visit to the Naugatuck Valley League’s baseball tournament ended a little sooner than they had hoped.

Wolcott managed to score four runs in the first inning against Derby Tuesday at Municipal Stadium in Waterbury, giving the Eagles all they needed in a 7 – 0 victory in the second semifinal of the NVL tournament.

The Red Raiders got just three hits off of Wolcott pitching.

The trouble for Derby began quickly. 

After Derby pitcher Ray Kreiger managed to get Wolcott’s first batter, the next five batters successfully reached base. 

Mike Vaccarelli hit a triple to begin things for the Eagles. 

A wild pitch allowed Vaccarelli to score from third, giving the Eagles a lead they would not relinquish. 

C.J Monroe followed with a triple of his own and would also score when Kreiger and catcher Colin Haydu could not connect on a pitch.

Matt Meier reached base on a walk and then stole second. He would score when Michael Meier reached on an error by Derby first baseman Michael Fannelli. 

Wolcott’s Mike Gigliotti then singled and reached second another fielding error, which allowed Mike Meier to score.

Wolcott scored three more times in the game: once in the second on an RBI double by Vaccarelli, once in the third on a Tanner Fitzsimmons single to score Mike Meier and once in the sixth after Monroe reached on a throwing error that scored Kevin Nichol. 

Vaccarelli finished 3‑for‑4 with 2 RBI.

Kreiger allowed five runs in three innings, four of them earned.

Derby managed just three hits in the contest, two off the bat of second baseman Tyler O’Connor and one by third baseman Brian Dobek.

Tuesday’s result stands in contrast to the Raiders’ successful debut in the NVL tourney. The Raiders beat Naugatuck 3 – 0 a day earlier.

Derby Head Coach Sumner Sochrin said the team could have performed better. 

We didn’t play our game. We didn’t play well. When you don’t play well, you get beat,” Sochrin said. We didn’t play the way we were supposed to play. You give up four runs in the first inning, you’re in trouble.”

The loss puts Derby’s season record at 15 – 7. 

The Raiders will now wait to find out when and who they will play in the state Class S tournament.

We start another season. We gotta go to the state tournament now,” he said. We’ll start all over again.”

Wolcott’s win will have them facing off with No. 1 seeded Holy Cross on Thursday at Waterbury’s Municipal Stadium.

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