James Bairaktaris 7/18/21 James Bairaktaris 7/18/21

10 U Champions: Westport Little Leaguers Head to Sectionals

`Bottom (L-R) Chase Landgraf, Grant Theisinger, Chris Lambert, Miles Delorier, Henry Ellis; Standing (L-R): Nolan Walters, Brody Chlupsa, Justin Goldshore, Luke Moneyhon, Wes Walters, Noah Smith, Jack McGrath, Dylan Burdeshaw. Coaches (L-R): Manager Justin Walters, Coach Dave Smith, Coach Marc Theisinger. Contributed photo for WestportLocal.com`

`Little Leaguers tip their hats to their opposing team after their win, a nod of respect and a sign of good sportsmanship.`

Westport Little League’s 10 U team conquered this weekend in their final playoffs, winning each of their three games by mercy rule - ending the game when a large enough difference in scores is made between the opposing teams. The 9 and 10 year old Westporters will continue on to the sectionals in Trumbull later this week, playing at Unity Field starting at 5:30 in the evening.

James Bairaktaris 7/16/21 James Bairaktaris 7/16/21

Westport 12 U Little Leaguers Fight Hard this Season

Photos and words by Caelan Chevrier

Fairfield American defeated Westport 8-4 Friday night in the District 12s championship game in Trumbull. Westport will have another chance to advance in the double-elimination district title game tomorrow at 11:00 AM.

Despite the loss, fans displayed some of the most passionate and energizing sportsmanship. Mothers wore earrings with their sons' baseball numbers on them. Parents, grandparents, and just those who enjoy the game all cheered in unison after nearly every pitch. From bleacher-wide chants, to the ringing of cowbells, dedication and emotion were found on the side of the field.

Head Coach Joe Leonard remains confident in his team. “We can beat these guys, there’s no doubt about it.” He noted that the level of talent of his players is exceptionally high, and he is excited to come back today.

The winner of today’s game will move on to the sectionals tournament, where they will face more opponents eager to seek a spot in the Little League World Series.

Westport’s 11 and 12 year-old players made it to the famous Williamsport Little League World Series in 2013, advancing through the series until the very end. Although a Tokyo, Japan team ultimately claimed victory - they returned home to a parade as local heroes.

James Bairaktaris 7/13/21 James Bairaktaris 7/13/21

UConn: Westporter Ben Casparius Selected in Fifth Round of MLB Draft by Los Angeles Dodgers

From SB Nation: The UConn Blog

UConn pitcher Ben Casparius selected in fifth round of MLB Draft by Los Angeles Dodgers

The Westport, Connecticut native will likely begin his professional career with Los Angeles.

by Shawn McGrath

UConn baseball right-handed pitcher Ben Casparius has been selected in the fifth round of the MLB Draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers, No. 162 overall. The recommended signing bonus value for this pick is $318,200.

He will join Wills Montgomerie, who was selected in the sixth round in 2017, in the Dodgers organization.

Casparius, originally from Westport, Connecticut, only had one season in Storrs but made it count. He made a team-leading 15 starts, earning an 8-5 record with a 4.03 ERA. His best outing of the season was March 5 against Miami (OH), scattering three hits in a complete-game shutout with 11 strikeouts. He also exited three additional starts without surrendering a run, including against UMass, Georgetown and Creighton. Casparius struck out 15 hitters in seven innings against the Hoyas, his career-high.

He led the Huskies in innings (91 2/3), as well as strikeouts (127), which translates to 12.5 strikeouts per nine innings. His strikeout mark is also second in UConn history, behind only Colin McLaughlin, who notched 138 punch-outs in nearly 20 more innings (111). This was enough to earn Casparius ABCA First-Team honors for the Northeast region, as well as second-team all-conference honors and a spot on the Big East all-tournament team.

Casparius’ best pitch is his change-up, which MLBPipeline graded a 55 on the 20-80 scouting scale, which translates to above-average. His fastball, slider and control were each given 50 grades, which is average. His fastball sits around 91 mph but he has been recorded as high as 95 mph. He projects as a strike-thrower with a solid three-pitch mix. This, despite his slight 6-foot, 208-pound build, leaves him a chance to start through his professional career.

Casparius spent his first two years at North Carolina, where he played sporadically as both a hitter and pitcher, before missing the 2020 season due to transfer rules. As a result, he has some eligibility remaining, should he decide to return to UConn.

James Bairaktaris 6/20/21 James Bairaktaris 6/20/21

Gallery: Staples Rugby Places 4th in the Nation in Kansas City; Arrives Home to a Hero’s Welcome

The Staples Rugby Team arrived home to a Hero’s Welcome, complete with an escort by the Westport Police Department. The high school rugby team made it to the Rugby National Championships in Kansas City, Missouri this weekend - taking home fourth place for the Country.

The team placed better than expected - as they were ranked as the #5 seed ahead of the match, with the Goff report saying “The best-kept secret of the tournament, Staples has compiled one heck of a season up in Connecticut. Winners over big dogs Xavier, Greenwich, and Fairfield, these boys are battle-tested and battle-accomplished. Jot them down as your dark horse now.“

Although champions on the pitch, it was the team’s good sportsmanship that made its way back to Westport as parents eagerly awaited their sons’ arrival. The team joined fellow Connecticut team Greenwich at the nationals, cheering on the usual Staples rival - with Greenwich cheering on Westport’s boys. Parents were quick to mention “they not only have a good coach, but a good role model as men” when speaking about head coach Dave Lyme. Lyme and his assistant coaches Neal Seideman and Jack Corcoran lead the team to victory this year after only starting the team a few years ago, with one team member saying that “they coached a team that hasn’t even been in consideration of being ranked to becoming 4th in the nation in the span of months.”

With graduation on Thursday, the senior members of the team were given a special graduation ceremony by Staples High School - allowing them to enjoy the celebration of finishing high school, and still being able to play at nationals.

The boys played on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday in temperatures soaring about 100 degrees on the Missouri field. Today they’re home, enjoying the cool Westport temperatures and relaxing after a victorious three days.