The Wethersfield baseball team has climbed in conference standings in recent years, finishing third in Central Connecticut North last season, up from second to last several years ago in the 2009-10 season. File photo, 2012.
Eagles Hope to Climb Conference Ranking
WETHERSFIELD - The Wethersfield High School baseball team will look to continue the Central Connecticut North standings climb that has characterized the past three seasons, minus last year’s slew of seniors that includes shutdown pitcher Ryan Wizniak.

       The Eagles finished third--behind Central Connecticut North leader East Hartford and South Windsor--last season to move up a spot from the previous year. Wethersfield was second to last in the standings in 2009-10.

       Wizniack, who posted a 2.42 ERA in five appearances, went 2-1 last year. The Eagles’ pitching staff boasts a solid core of returners, including Brendan Smith, a current senior who recorded the team’s lowest ERA of 1.83 last year. Smith, who went 4-2, pitched two full games, getting one shutout. He’s joined by fellow senior Nick Barone, who finished last year with a 1.91 ERA in four appearances.

       The Eagles will look for continued offensive dominance from some of their underclassmen, including Luke Ocascio, who, despite only getting four at-bats last year, got three hits and one run. Wethersfield will miss the hitting of Dylan Ratti, Matt Lis, and Andrew Pandolfo, who finished last year with .400, .340 and .375 batting averages, respectively. Ratti had 18 hits for 11 RBIs and 12 runs.

       Wethersfield will look to get the edge over East Hartford, a team that has seen its own resurgence over the past season. After finishing fifth in the Central Connecticut North in 2010-11, the Hornets came back to lead the pack last season. The Eagles upset East Hartford during an April 13 matchup that saw Wethersfield come away with an 8-0 landslide win.

       Smith started the game, pitching six shutout innings before the Eagles brought in then-junior Alex Fern to seal the victory.

       The Eagles scored another big shutout win on April 25 against second place South Windsor, by a 2-0 score line, once again proving that they can go toe-to-toe with their league’s top teams.

       Wethersfield started the season at home, in a March 26 matchup versus Bristol Central, after press time.
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