2019 Westport Cardinals Sweep Monroe Top Hats in Walk-off Fashion in Connecticut

Connecticut MSBL

Westport Cardinals 5, Monroe Top Hats 4

Top L-R: Brendan Taylor, Craig Marsden, Jeff Lange, Josh Garey, Bill Thornton, Mike Lasko, Billy Taylor, Dave Casale, Livio Sanchez. Middle L-R: Juan Rodriguez, Oliver Van Zant, Kerri Moody, Brian Lazor, Josh Genovese, Henry Van Zant, Steve Anagnostou. Front: Danny Mercado

‘Henry Van Zant Walk-off Double Seals Title’

Submitted by Bill Thornton, Cardinals manager

For the second time in four years the Westport Cardinals are The Connecticut MSBL Champions!  It was a hard-fought season and a well-deserved championship.  The Cards finished the 2019 campaign with an overall record of 20-2 and did not drop a game in the post season.  

For the Championship the Cards swept the Monroe Top Hats in a best of three series by taking game two with a walk off RBI double by Henry Van Zant.  His brother Oliver Van Zant started the game on the bump and battled four bull-dog-gut-check innings to give way to the ageless Craig Marsden, who strung together the next five innings to pick up the win. It was a hell of a game, an amazing team win, as we picked each other up time and time again.  

The Top Hats struck first with a run in the first we then equalized and took a one run lead in the third, only to give it back in the top of the fourth. In the top of the sixth Monroe scored twice, but we then cut the deficit in half the bottom of that inning with a no doubt bomb by Brendan to left. In the bottom of eighth and down by one, Danny led off with a double and was moved over by Lazor and scored on an Aggie sacrifice fly to center.

In the bottom of ninth with the game tied Brendan led off with a hit, JRod walked and Henry then hit the walk-off double. Game set match Cards win 5-4! 

The ‘D’ needs to be mentioned, too. Lazor’s throw from right, Geno’s catch in left, Ollie’s throw from left and also his catch in the ninth were just a few of the standouts.