Allan Appel Photo
Doria, after his big hit, being congratulated at third by Coach Ramos.
Fernando Doria, or “Nando,” as his teammates kept cheering him on at the plate, connected for two towering hits, driving in four of 14 runs to power the Wilbur Cross Governors to win their season opening baseball game.
Team booster Pablo Melendez surrounded by Mayor Harp and Cross Principal Edith Johnson, who threw out the season-opening ceremonial baseballs.
Centerfielder Doria’s long drives in the third and fourth innings, along with Andrew Marrero’s fast ball that struck out a half dozen Woodland Regional High School Hawks, led the way in a game in which the entire team contributed with singles, base stealing and generally aggressive play.
The opening game took place Monday on a picture-perfect sunny day at Rice Field in East Rock, grass turning green beneath the Angel of Peace, a brightly white chalked field, bunting that reminds you of the World Series or an inauguration, a national anthem sweetly sung, and a school principal and a mayor to throw out the opening day ball.
Doria’s two RBIs were followed by two more thanks to a long single by lead-off hitter and right fielder Luis Roman.
“We are good!” declared one of the team’s coaches, Adam O’Leary, a gym teacher at the Fair Haven School.
“We’re in mid-season form on day one,” confirmed Marc Lefort, a Metropolitan Business High School gym teacher and another coach, who was keeping the stats by O’Leary down the first base line.
“We got to keep it up,” said O’Leary. The Govs will have a chance to do so when they play the second and third games of the season, both at Rice Field, on Wednesday and Friday.
Govs’ pitcher Andrew Marrero leads off first.
If the team wins eight of its 20 games this season, it advances to the playoffs. Last season the team missed that chance by one victory A dozen players have returned from last year’s squad, determined to make this time.
After the game, a 14-to‑1 trouncing of the Beacon Falls-based Woodland Regional High School Hawks, the Govs’ new coach, Angel Ramos, said he was not surprised by his team’s performance. A lot of preparation, made possible by family and volunteers, preceded the season opener.
“We’ve got good hitters,” he added. “The more we play, the better we’ll get.”