Darien Baseball Headed Back To State Tournament

Despite all the hardship the Darien High School baseball team experienced earlier in the season, the Blue Wave is officially headed back to postseason play.

David Hickey allowed just three hits and struck out 10 over six innings Wednesday, as Darien blanked Bassick, 7-0,  to clinch a berth in the FCIAC Class L state tournament.

Last season, in Mike Scott's first year as coach, the Blue Wave finished 18-8 and advanced to the semifinals of the state tournament for the first time in the history of the program.

Darien, which lost eight straight games during one stretch this year, has won four of its last six to improve to 8-10 with two contests left in the reguar season.

The Blue Wave has lost four games this season by one run and two in extra innings while playing 12 games decided by three runs or less.

"It's nice to have a win where the pressure of a close score isn't there," said Hickey, who is bound for Yale in the fall. "It also gives our batters confidence going into the next few games."

Before the game started, the Blue Wave seniors were honored in a short ceremony, celebrating the final home game of their high school careers. Among those being honored was Hickey, who threw a gem in his final home appearance.

Hickey was pumped early, striking out the side in the top of the first inning.

Scott Dempsey kicked things off for the Blue Wave in the home first, driving in co-captain Matt Anderson with an RBI single . Dempsey then scored on Justin Pryor's double to make it 2-0.

After stealing third, Pryor tried to score on a passed ball but was thrown out at the plate.

Hickey gave up his first hit of the game in the second: a single to pitcher Manny Febus, who was stranded at second.

In the bottom of the second, the Blue Wave struck again. After two walks and a stolen base put runners on the second and third, Darien stole home. Brandon Tripodi was then picked off first, but he stayed in the rundown long enough to allow Mike Wholberg to score from third.

Hickey was in control throughout the game. He was helped in the top of the fourth when Tripodi, playing second base,  made a spectacular diving catch to and notched a double play against a runner off of first.

The score remained 3-0 until the bottom of the fifth, when Darien  scored four runs to put away the contest.

The rally was ignited on a two-run double by first baseman John Gardner, who scored on an RBI single by Dempsey, the designated hitter. Dempsey came home on a run-scoring single by shortstop Dan Pidgeon to make it 7-0.

Hickey was replaced in the seventh after allowing his first walk of the game. However, he said he supported Scott's decision to pull him.

"I wasn't disappointed at all," Hickey said.  "I am behind every decision that Coach Scott makes and if he feels that I am done, then I am done."

Hickey was replaced by Dillon Duncan, who didn't even warm up in the bullpen.

"David may have felt a little tweak or soreness in his arm, and knowing that he will have at least a full week of rest, coach probably took him out so he wouldn't over use his arm," Pidgeon said.

The Blue Wave is hoping Wednesday's blowout keeps the bats hot for the next two games. Darien visists Danbury on Thursday in a makeup game, then concludes the regular season at Trumbull on Friday.