The Ridgefield-led Fairfield Captains 16U team won a fall division title in the Greater Hudson Valley Baseball League. Bottom row (left to right): Chris D'Orso (Ridgefield), Grady Gernert (Ridgefield), Hunter Jewell (Ridgefield), Jason Gong (Danbury), Danny Weiss (Ridgefield), Myles Gythfeldt (Ridgfield), Chris Suarez (Bethel); top row: Justin Heinsohn (Ridgefield), Max Pizzolato (Monroe), Jonny Lintel (Weston), Danny Marquis (Middlebury), Chris Amato (Weston), Brendan Busby (Ridgefield), coach Richard Dieckman. Not shown: Will Hornby (Newtown) and coach Matt Paz.
Contributed photo / Fairfield Captains 16U baseballComprised primarly of players from Ridgefield, the Fairfield County Captains 16U travel baseball team won the B Division fall championship in the Greater Hudson Valley Baseball League.
After going 10-4 during the regular season, the Captains won three straight single-elimination playoff contests, capped by a 6-3 victory over Stamford in the title game Nov. 3.
Myles Gythfeldt of Ridgefield was the winning pitcher in all three playoff games, including a 3-0 complete-game shutout over Bethel. Gythfeldt pitched 15 innings over the three games, allowing a total of six hits, one earned run and one walk while striking out 13 batters. He finished the fall season with a 7-0 record and an ERA of 0.78 in 46 innings.
Jonny Lintel (Weston) started for the Captains in the championship game and pitched three innings before giving way to Gythfeldt with Stamford ahead 3-2.
The Captains took the lead with a three-run rally in the bottom of the fifth inning. Brendan Busby (Ridgefield) led off with a walk and Justin Heinsohn (Ridgefield) reached on perfectly executed bunt down the first-base line. After a passed ball advanced the runners, Gythfeldt dropped a suicide-squeeze bunt to tie the game.
With two outs and runners on second and third, Grady Gernert (Ridgefield) singled on a 2-2 count, scoring Heinsohn and Gythfeldt to put the Captains ahead 5-3.
Gythfeldt held Stamford scoreless over the final two innings and Ridgefield added another run to close out the triumph.
Gernert was 3-for-8 with two walks and four stolen bases in the postseason and also contributed with nice defensive plays in center field.
Danny Weiss (Ridgefield) was 3-for-6 with two walks and four runs scored, and Heinsohn went 2-for-4 with three walks and three runs scored. Heinsohn also pitched well during the season, allowing no earned runs in 15.2 innings.
Max Pizzolato (Monroe) hit a line drive home run in game one of the playoffs, and Chris D’Orso (Ridgefield) had a two-out, line drive single to center to score Heinsohn in game two.
Hunter Jewell (Ridgefield) added solid defense at shortstop while Chris Amato (Weston) batted .459 (17-for-37) with six doubles, two triples, a home run, and 13 RBIs over the course of the season.
Lintel was solid in the bullpen for the Captains, finishing with four saves, two wins, and a 1.96 ERA.