IT’S CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKEND and welcome to the penultimate Inside the Circle softball podcast from GameTimeCT.
Hosts Ryan Lacey and Sean Patrick Bowley — who, of course predicted these matchups all along — take you through just about everything that happened during this week’s semifinal games, including Norwich Free Academy’s pitching adventures in its 4-2 LL victory over Cheshire and East Haven’s Cinderella run to face No. 2 and defending champion Masuk in the Class L final.
But since they (clearly) don’t know what they’re actually talking about, this week’s special guest star is a guy who knows everything: Connecticut Scholastic and Collegiate Softball Hall of Fame coach NEIL SWANCHAK, who has built a distinguished 30-year career as a head coach of the Connecticut Charmers Gold AAU team and with number of high school programs across Southern Connecticut.
CIAC SPRING CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKEND SCOREBOARD / SCHEDULE
If you’re at a softball game, chances are you’ve seen Coach Swanchak out and about in his trademarked brimmed hat.
Swanchak, who’s stops include Amity, Lauralton Hall and Seymour before joining up with North Branford this season, gives us his thoughts on this year’s finalists. While he won’t climb entirely out on a limb to pick winners between his coaching colleagues and friends, he at least gives us which teams have the edge in each of the finals.
Afterward, Sean and Ryan attempt to apply that knowledge and make some championship picks.
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PREVIOUS EPISODES
Episode IX — Recapping the state tournament carnage
Episode VIII — North Branford’s Nick DeLizio; State Tournament predictions
Episode VII — NFA’s Bryan Burdick
Episode VI — West Haven’s Joe Morrell
Episode V — St. Joseph’s Jeff Babineau
Episode IV — Notre Dame-Fairfield’s Jeff Bevino
Episode III — Cheshire’s Kristine Drust
Episode II — Masuk’s Leigh Barone
Episode I — Who’s Who and What’s What in 2019?