Ludlowe Advances to Class L Semifinal By Pat Pickens Article Last Updated: 06/04/2008 10:32:13 AM EDT
Fairfield Ludlowe junior outfielder Jon Servilla missed six games at the end of the regular season with a pulled groin, and the Falcon baseball team went 1-5 in his absence. Ludlowe is more than happy to have him back for the CIAC Class L playoffs. Servilla went 3-for-4, stole two bases and ignited the Falcons' three-run, third inning rally that put Ludlowe ahead for good en route to a 6-2 win over No. 18 East Haven in the quarterfinals on Sunday at Nolan Field in Ansonia. "It was tough for me being out," Servilla said. "It felt great being back and helping the team any way possible." Ludlowe won in spite of itself, however. The Falcons lost three players on the bases, including two in a bizarre fifth inning, where the Falcons had three players reach base and two thrown out at home plate. Second baseman Tom Nagy also made a critical throwing error in the third inning that allowed the only two Yellowjacket runs to score. "This team hasn't peaked yet we make a lot of mistakes," Ludlowe head coach Keith O'Rourke said. "We're a very aggressive and aggressive teams are going to get thrown out. "There's a difference between being smart aggressive and stupid aggressive. Today we were stupid aggressive." Ludlowe got on the board in the second inning when third baseman Rob Ferrara singled, and Nagy laced a double to left field to put the Falcons ahead, 1-0. But East Haven responded in the top of the third when starter Jack Vacheron walked the first two Yellowjacket hitters. With two outs, Vacheron induced designated hitter Frank Amento to ground a ball to Nagy, who threw the ball wildly allowing East Haven to take the lead 2-1. "They scored the runs on that error, but we still stayed confident," senior captain Mike Paloian said. "It seems like if we make a mistake we bounce back." Bounce back they did in the third. Servilla started the Ludlowe rally with an infield single. Servilla then stole second and scored on first baseman Conor Roach's one-out single. Kevin Keys followed with a single and left fielder Jordan Hagel singled home Roach to give the Falcons the lead, 3-2. "We knew we could hit that kid," Paloian said. Ferrara then drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to make the game 4-2. With two outs in the fourth, Paloian and Servilla teamed up to steal a run and make the game 5-2. Paloian singled through the hole in left field, snapping a mini 0-for-7 slump. Paloian then stole second and Servilla singled him in. "[Servilla] has been a spark plug for us all year," O'Rourke said. "We were a different team without him." Reliever John Fitsch threw three scoreless innings to bridge the gap between Vacheron and closer Logan Hartmann. Vacheron was pulled by O'Rourke just two pitches into the fourth inning. "It got to the point where, in the fourth inning, I got sick and tired of seeing 'ball one, ball one, ball one," O'Rourke said. "Fitsch shut the door and did a great job." Ludlowe got its sixth run of the game when pinch hitter Mark Perone singled and was doubled home by Paloian. The Falcons played yesterday in the semifinals against No. 14-seed Daniel Hand, in a game completed too late for press time. If the Falcons won that game, they will play either Jonathan Law in the CIAC Class L finals on Saturday at noon at Palmer Field in Middletown.
