State Championship Previews: CT Baseball, Softball, Lacrosse

CONNECTICUT — State championship time has arrived for high school baseball, softball and lacrosse teams across Connecticut, as the CIAC tournaments wind down Friday and Saturday.

Just four matchups - two each in baseball and softball - feature the top two seeds battling it out. Conversely, not a single No. 1 or 2 seed made it to the finals of boys or girls lacrosse.

With the spring season canceled in 2020 due to the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, six teams will seek to duplicate their championship runs from 2019. New Fairfield girls lacrosse is aiming for its fourth straight Class S title, while Masuk softball and St. Joseph boys lacrosse look to three-peat. Southington softball, Somers softball and Darien girls lacrosse are each in contention for back-to-back state championships.

Four teams have appeared in title contests in the past, but are seeking their first victories: Norwalk baseball, Northwestern Regional baseball, North Branford softball and Daniel Hand boys lacrosse. Four other squads - Daniel Hand baseball, Fairfield Ludlowe softball, East Catholic boys lacrosse and Guilford girls lacrosse - are making their initial appearances in the state finals.

Here are some facts and figures about each title contest, including championship game histories and links to team rosters. Games are on Saturday unless otherwise indicated.

BASEBALL
All games at Palmer Field, Middletown

Class LL
noon
No. 19 Westhill Vikings vs. No. 24 Norwalk Bears
Regular season: WES 10-7; NOR 9-8
The road to the finals:

• WES: d. Norwich Free Academy 3-0; d. Fairfield Prep 11-10; d. Hall 6-4; d. Brien McMahon 13-7
• NOR: d. Amity Regional 4-0; d. New Canaan 5-3; d. Ridgefield 10-1; d. Greenwich 7-5

Title game record: WES 2-0; NOR 0-2
Last state championship: WES 2008; NOR none
Rosters

Class L
7 p.m.
No. 1 Daniel Hand Tigers vs. No. 2 Berlin Redcoats
Regular season: DH 16-1; BER 17-3
The road to the finals:

• DH: d. Bunnell 13-2; d. Bristol Central 9-3; d. Bethel 5-1; d. Avon 2-1 (10)
• BER: d. East Haven 8-0; d. East Lyme 5-0; d. Windsor 4-0; d. Lyman Hall 8-5

Title game record: DH 0-0; BER 6-8
Last state championship: DH none; BER 2005
Rosters

Class M
3:30 p.m.
No. 1 East Catholic Eagles vs. No. 2 Northwestern Regional Highlanders
Regular season: EC 20-0; NWR 19-1
The road to the finals:

• EC: d. Windham Tech 23-1; d. Morgan 5-0; d. Weston 19-1; d. Waterford 8-2
• NWR: d. Jonathan Law 10-3; d. Suffield 2-1; d. Rockville 6-2; d. Woodland 3-2

Title game record: EC 4-4; NWR 0-3
Last state championship: EC 1997; NWR none
Rosters

Class S
Friday, 7 p.m.
No. 1 St. Paul Falcons vs. No. 3 Coginchaug Blue Devils
Regular season: STP 18-1; COG 15-3
The road to the finals:

• STP: d. Tourtellotte 17-7; d. Hale Ray 5-4; d. Shepaug Valley 16-6; d. Immaculate 12-8
• COG: d. Windsor Locks 13-2; d. Somers 6-0; d. Holy Cross 17-3; d. Northwest Catholic 12-0

Title game record: STP 3-2; COG 1-0
Last state championship: STP 2016; COG 1972
Rosters

SOFTBALL

Class LL
At West Haven High School
3 p.m.
No. 1 Southington Lady Knights vs. No. 2 Fairfield Ludlowe Falcons
Regular season: SOU 19-1; FL 16-1
The road to the finals:

• SOU: 1st round bye; d. New Milford 5-0; d. Glastonbury 5-0; d. Hall 8-2
• FL: 1st round bye; d. Darien 5-4; d. Staples 6-1; d. Trumbull 11-1

Title game record: SOU 18-5; FL 0-0
Last state championship: SOU 2019; FL none
Rosters

Class L
At DeLuca Field, Stratford
3 p.m.
No. 1 Masuk Panthers vs. No. 2 St. Joseph Cadets
Regular season: MAS 17-0; STJ 16-0
The road to the finals:

• MAS: 1st round bye; d. Mercy 3-0; d. Foran 14-2 (5); d. East Haven 4-0
• STJ: 1st round bye; d. Bristol Eastern 7-0; d. Naugatuck 9-0; d. Ledyard 11-5

Title game record: MAS 6-2; STJ 6-4
Last state championship: MAS 2019; STJ 2018 (M)
Rosters

Class M
At DeLuca Field, Stratford
Friday, 7 p.m.
No. 5 North Branford Thunderbirds vs. No. 10 Seymour Wildcats
Regular season: NB 15-2; SEY 15-4
The road to the finals:

• NB: 1st round bye; d. Kaynor Tech 15-0; d. Jonathan Law 3-1; d. Woodland 7-2
• SEY: d. Montville 7-0; d. Northwestern Regional 8-3; d. Ellington 12-1; d. Granby 4-3

Title game record: NB 0-2; SEY 11-8
Last state championship: NB none; SEY 2017
Rosters

Class S
At West Haven High School
noon
No. 2 Somers Spartans vs. No. 4 Coginchaug Blue Devils
Regular season: SOM 18-2; COG 15-2
The road to the finals:

• SOM: 1st round bye; d. Windham Tech 14-0; d. Coventry 6-5; d. Shepaug Valley 7-2
• COG: 1st round bye; d. Wheeler 12-0; d. Thomaston 5-0; d. Notre Dame-Fairfield 5-2

Title game record: SOM 1-0; COG 11-5
Last state championship: SOM 2019; COG 2012
Rosters

BOYS LACROSSE
All games at Trumbull High School

Class L
3:30 p.m.
No. 8 Fairfield Prep Jesuits vs. No. 14 Ridgefield Tigers
Regular season: FP 12-4; RID 10-5
The road to the finals:

• FP: d. Greenwich 9-8; d. Darien 14-10; d. Wilton 14-5
• RID: d. Southington 20-1 (qualifier); d. Staples 4-3; d. Simsbury 18-3; d. Hall 17-5

Title game record: FP 6-3; RID 3-3
Last state championship: FP 2013; RID 2018
Rosters

Class M
1 p.m.
No. 4 Weston Trojans vs. No. 6 Daniel Hand Tigers
Regular season: WES 11-3; DH 10-4
The road to the finals:

• WES: d. Pomperaug 14-5; d. Watertown 6-5; d. East Lyme 14-8
• DH: d. Lyman Hall 21-1; d. Joel Barlow 7-6; d. Masuk 14-3

Title game record: WES 3-4; DH 0-5
Last state championship: WES 2013 (S); DH none
Rosters

Class S
10:30 a.m.
No. 7 East Catholic Eagles vs. No. 17 St. Joseph Cadets
Regular season: EC 11-5; STJ 7-8
The road to the finals:

• EC: d. Capital/Classical 16-4; d. Bacon Academy 21-11; d. Granby 13-5
• STJ: d. Stonington 21-1 (qualifier); d. New Fairfield 8-7; d. Haddam-Killingworth 18-8; d. St. Paul 20-5

Title game record: EC 0-0; STJ 6-3
Last state championship: EC none; STJ 2019
Rosters

GIRLS LACROSSE
All games at Bunnell High School

Class L
noon
No. 4 Darien Blue Wave vs. No. 7 Fairfield Ludlowe Falcons
Regular season: DAR 12-2; FL 13-3
The road to the finals:

• DAR: d. Staples 15-8; d. Cheshire 15-4; d. New Canaan 8-4
• FL: d. Southington 14-4; d. Greenwich 10-5; d. Simsbury 9-5

Title game record: DAR 10-2; FL 1-0
Last state championship: DAR 2019; FL 2010
Rosters

Class M
2 p.m.
No. 3 Guilford Grizzlies vs. No. 4 Joel Barlow Falcons
Regular season: GUI 13-2; JB 12-2
The road to the finals:

• GUI: d. Stratford 20-1; d. Masuk 15-6; d. St. Joseph 14-4
• JB: d. Berlin 23-3; d. Fitch 15-7; d. East Lyme 12-11

Title game record: GUI 0-0; JB 1-1
Last state championship: GUI none; JB 2004
Rosters

Class S
10 a.m.
No. 3 New Fairfield Rebels vs. No. 12 Weston Trojans
Regular season: NF 12-2; WES 8-6
The road to the finals:

• NF: d. Granby 13-3; d. Lauralton Hall 15-3; d. Stonington 15-2
• WES: d. Jonathan Law 15-4 (qualifier); d. North Branford 14-10; d. Tolland 18-9; d. Sheehan 8-6

Title game record: NF 4-0; WES 2-1
Last state championship: NF 2019; WES 2013
Rosters

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