Start of Scholastic Baseball Season Rekindles Memories of Crimson Eagles' Nine 35 Years Ago

The Fairfield Warde varsity baseball team opens its season tomorrow afternoon when the Mustangs host Staples High School in Fairfield at 3:30 p.m. Warde plays a 20-game schedule this year, including a matchup at Ludlowe on Monday, May 11, at 4:30 p.m. The game will be played at Kiwanis Field since the Falcons do not have a baseball field on campus.

The season, which lasts six weeks, concludes on Thursday, May 21, with a game at Greenwich. The Mustangs are looking to get off to a good start, much like their counterparts at Warde some 35 years ago. The 1974 edition of the Andrew Warde High School baseball team opened its season on the road with a victory against league rival Stamford Catholic.

Dave Horvath scattered three hits and struck out nine to lead Warde to a 5-1 win over the host Crusaders in the FCIAC opener for both schools Monday afternoon, April 15, 1974, in Stamford. Horvath, a senior righthander, issued only two walks in going the distance for the victorious Crimson Eagles.

Horvath was staked to an early 1-0 lead on an RBI single by Bob Cleveland in the second inning. With two out, Tim Walsh walked and moved to third base on a pair of errors before Cleveland's run-scoring safety. The Eagles plated their second run off Crusaders' starter and loser Mikey DeLeo an inning later. Dave Favale led off with a double and raced home on a two-out single by Ron DelBianco.

Warde secured the victory with a three-run uprising in the sixth inning to increase its lead to 5-0. With one out, Walsh walked and trotted home on Jeff Hannon's three-bagger to right field. Cleveland followed with his second RBI single to drive home Hannon, and Cleveland eventually scored on the second of Favale's two hits.

Stamford Catholic, 0-2 overall, averted a whitewash in the bottom of the sixth inning when it nicked Horvath for its only run. With one out, Mike Cerulli reached on a two-base error when his routine grounder to shortstop was thrown away, and Joe Lorenti walked with two outs. Vito Melli followed with a double to plate Cerulli with the Crusaders' lone tally.

Here's hoping the Mustangs have a season-opening win against the Wreckers. Good luck to the Warde baseball team this season!

Paul

Please sign the AWHS Guest Book.

Visit the Andrew Warde High School Gift Shop.

Watch the AWHS 1976 vintage "film".