Despite their best efforts, the Plainville 13/14-year-old all-stars came up short in their best-of-three state championship series against Pawcatuck, falling 6-3 at Trumbull Park and losing two games to none.
"They played better than us. Bottom line," Carroccia said. Nonetheless, it was not a runaway series despite the sweep, as Plainville seemed poised to force a third game after Chris Kuzia's double tied the score at 3-3 in the top of the fifth.
But things got away from Plainville in the sixth, after the team's only error of the game allowed T.J. White to reach second base to lead off. Sean McCaffrey tried to sacrifice White to third but Plainville got the lead runner. Jared Defanti stole second as a pinch runner and Emmett Murphy struck out as Plainville starter Brandon Dalena came closer to escaping the inning, and to his limited pitch count.
Dalena walked Jake Berkowitz as he topped the limit, and Matt Broderick entered to a tough situation. Unfortunately, the strike zone appeared to get tighter as Broderick walked two batters and gave up a two-run single to Nate McColl to break the score open.
"Matt's been good for us all year," Carroccia said. "He just ran into a rough spot there. It's tough coming in in that situation ... A couple of those pitches could have gone either way, and that changed his momentum."
Robbie Voisine led off the next inning with an infield single, but it was all Plainville would muster as Pawcatuck advanced to the Eastern Regional tournament in New Jersey.
Plainville batters chose to be aggressive at the plate against Jake Berkowitz, swinging at the first good pitch they saw. It paid off in the first inning as they scored two runs on four straight singles to start the game. Dalena and Devon Pugliese each drove in a run with their hits as Brett Litke and Dylan Chasse scored.
But Berkowitz settled down and gave up just four more hits the rest of the game. Plainville hit the ball hard on several occasions, but the defense seemed to always be in exactly the right place. With many quick outs, Berkowitz went the distance in only 67 pitches.
"We really got a jump in the first inning," Carroccia said. "I wish we had carried that throughout the game. The bats kind of went to sleep."
Unfortunate as well was the first inning output for Pawcatuck. Berkowitz walked and Tony Cerino and Jimmy Connelly hit sharp singles to load the bases before Jay Hespeler drove in one with a two-out infield hit and a bloop single to right by Tim Cusack plated a pair.
Plainville had its share of defensive gems, particularly Dylan Chasse's diving catch in center field to retire Berkowitz in the fifth. Chasse appeared to have no chance to make the play after getting a slow jump on the ball. But he made up ground and extended just enough at the last second to make the sprawling play.
"That was one of the nicest catches I've seen all year anywhere," Carroccia said. "He completely sold out, fully extended. That was pretty."
Kuzia tied the game with a booming shot to left-center field, two pitches after appearing to have run out an infield hit before it was ruled a foul ball.
Dalena had three hits, two in the infield that he ran out.
Carroccia, who said it was a unique experience coaching for the first time, said he believes good things will be in the future for these players.
"I think that if these guys continue and have this nucleus as they get older, at the high school level coach [Bob] Freimuth is going to have a good group of players."