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NORWALK, Conn. Norwalk Senior Legion Post 12's dream of defending its state baseball title came to an end Thursday.
Needing to win one of two games in a double-header, Norwalk fell to Greenwich, 7-1, and then, in heartbreaking fashion, 4-3 to Trumbull, coming up one win shy of qualifying for the Senior Legion state tournament and a chance to repeat last season's Cinderella run to the state championship.
Norwalk brought the winning run to the plate in the nightcap of the double-header against Trumbull, but a 6-4-3 double play brought Post 12's injury-plagued season to a crashing halt.
Post 12's battle for a playoff spot on the final day of the regular season was never going to be an easy one. It had to play the top-ranked team in the state in Greenwich, then second-place Trumbull.
In the game against Greenwich, Post 12 was the victim of seven walks. Six of the seven runners who scored for Greenwich had reached base on walks. Norwalk was withing striking distance in the fifth, trailing 3-1, but an opportunity with men in scoring position was squandered. Greenwich exploded for four more runs in the bottom of the sixth, putting the pressure on Norwalk to win the night game.
Mike Carter gave Norwalk a brief 3-2 lead early in the must-win game against Trumbull. But Post 12's pitching could not hold off Trumbull, and Norwalk surrendered the lead in the top of the third. The score remained 4-3 for the remainder of the contest.
Norwalk finishes the season with a 14-13 record.
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