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GREENWICH, Conn. Greenwich High School was the last baseball team in Fairfield County to finish with a perfect regular season, going unbeaten in 1996. Now the Cardinals are poised to do it again, with one win over Danbury on Friday separating them from a 20-0 record in 2012. Greenwich takes on the Hatters at Danbury High at 4 p.m.
Undefeated seasons are almost common in sports like football and lacrosse. But in a game defined as much by its failures as it is by successes, Greenwich players know perfection in baseball is something special.
On the other hand, manager Mike Mora has reminded his players before each game that no matter what their record is, it will all be academic unless they can bring a championship home to go along with it.
When teams are gunning for you theres an intense atmosphere in every game, Mora said. But it doesnt mean anything until the playoffs. Its single-elimination so we just want the next one.
The players have responded with a dominant season, bolstered by a stellar pitching staff that has compiled a 1.01 team ERA and thrown seven shutouts. Even with Moras mantra, the thought of a perfect season is a compelling goal.
Of course the streak is on our minds, but you just have to take it one game at a time, Cardinals second baseman Matt Pruner said. Every game is huge and we just have to treat every game like were zero and zero.
Greenwich will enter the conference and Class LL state tournaments as the top-seeded team. But the conference and state baseball playoffs are known for their upsets, with the top-seeded team rarely winning it all.
It has been five years since the top-ranked team won a state tournament when Amity, Guilford and St. Bernard won the state titles in their respective classes. Amitys 2007 title was also the last time a team with a perfect record won it all.
Greenwich is searching for its first conference title since 2004 and has not won a state championship since 1962.
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