Sports

New Canaan Baseball Cleans Up With Postseason Honors

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Although New Canaan’s run at a second consecutive state title ended Tuesday with a 7-1 defeat at the hands of Cheney Tech, 2014 was still a memorable year for the varsity baseball team. The Rams finished at 15-8 in a season that saw its fair share of dramatic wins, including what ended up being the last ‘W’ of the year – a 5-4 walk-off victory over Wethersfield in the first round of the Class L playoffs. The results of the All FCIAC voting point directly to the program’s success. Given that baseball is a sport that only fields nine players at a time, to have ten players garnering postseason honors is truly astounding. Leading the way for the Rams were senior co-captains Nick Cascione and Matt Toth, who along with junior Alex LaPolice were named to the All FCIAC team.

News

One Down, Four to Go: New Canaan Baseball Beats Wethersfield in States Opener

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In a game with so many twists, turns and storylines, it only seemed appropriate that it would all boil down to the bat of New Canaan’s Erik Jager. The Rams co-captain has had a tough senior campaign at the plate, with a seemingly endless amount of hard hit baseballs that found leather instead of grass. That would all change today. Jager’s clutch bases-loaded single in the bottom of the ninth inning gave the defending state champion Rams a dramatic 5-4 win over Wethersfield in the first round of the 2014 Class L playoffs. “It feels great,” Jager told NewCanaanite.com.

Around Town

New Canaan Rams Baseball Defeats Norwalk

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It might be taking a while for the weather to warm up, but even Mother Nature can’t cool off the New Canaan Rams baseball team. Led by an offensive attack that pounded out 11 hits, including a double and home run by senior captain Nick Cascione, the Rams beat Norwalk High School 7-2 Friday night at City Hall Field. The win was New Canaan’s 6th in a row as they improved to 8-1 (6-1 FCIAC) on the season. “The depth of this lineup is good, because we’re not relying on just one or two,” New Canaan head coach Mitch Hoffman told NewCanaanite.com. “It’s nice to see each guy picking each other up.”

Seven Rams batters had at least one hit with senior captain Matt Toth leading the way with 3 singles and a run.

Sports

New Canaan Baseball Tops New Fairfield as Rajkowski Returns

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For New Canaan’s Dan Rajkowski, opening day could not come soon enough. Almost one year ago to the day, Tommy John surgery put an end to Rajkowski’s junior season, forcing the flame-throwing righthander to the bench during the Rams’ storybook 2013 state title run, and clouding the pitcher’s baseball future. “When I found out that I had to have Tommy John surgery, it was heartbreaking,” Rajkowski told NewCanaanite.com. “I just thought to myself if I ever come back out I’ll make it the best year of my life.”

He’s off to a good start. Rajkowski made a triumphant return to the Mead Park diamond Wednesday night, driving in the first two runs of the game with a booming triple off the tree in right center and–perhaps more importantly–closing out the game with a scoreless 7th inning on the mound, as the Rams began their title defense with an 9-0 win over New Fairfield.

Sports

Road to Repeat: 2014 New Canaan Rams Baseball

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It’s a tough act for New Canaan Rams head coach Mitch Hoffman to follow. Leading his team to the school’s first state baseball championship in 63 years was probably the top New Canaan sports story of 2013. Even so, Hoffman is not one to look back…especially considering the level of talent the Rams will put on display in 2014. New Canaan will return six starters to the lineup this season. And despite losing two of the best players in the state–Andrew Casali and Casey Ouellette–to graduation, Hoffman thinks this year’s squad has the potential to be even stronger.