By Andy Hutchison

WESTPORT — Having qualified for the state playoffs, the Staples baseball team aims to bolster its tournament standing as the regular season winds down over the next week.

The Wreckers crossed the tourney threshold with a 4-2 victory over visiting Morgan High of Clinton on April 27. 

Then, after a 5-3 loss at Wilton two days later, they bounced back with a 13-3 five-inning, mercy-rule triumph over Bridgeport Central on Senior Day last Wednesday.

On Friday, Staples lost 6-4 to visiting Fairfield Warde and carry an overall record of 9-6 (6-4 in the FCIAC) into the final five games of the regular slate.

There is a lot at stake during the stretch run. Staples is tied with five teams for fourth place in the FCIAC. Officially, the Wreckers may be in the middle of the pack, but are just two wins out of first and only one loss separates them from ninth place in the bunched-up standings. Parity rules in the FCIAC this spring.

In the win over Morgan, Ben Cukier pitched six solid innings, allowing five hits and two runs (both unearned). Andrew Oppenheimer tossed one hitless inning of relief to close things out.

Cooper Brundige knocked in a pair of runs and Jules Cicero went 2-for-3. Staples led 4-1 after two innings and cruised to victory, turning a pair of double plays along the way.

Against Central, Nick Porzio had a multi-hit performance, and Jack Farnen, Luke Oakley, Noah Saed and Nick Sikorski all hit doubles.

Taking on defending FCIAC and state champion Warde, one of those teams tied atop the FCIAC standings with an 8-2 mark, the Wreckers got a home run and three RBIs from Max Jossen. Brundige collected three hits, and Cicero and Oppenheimer both had two base hits.

Staples will host Fairfield Ludlowe at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, followed by a 6 p.m. Wednesday game at Trumbull and will visit Danbury at 11 a.m. Saturday. The regular season wraps  up with games next Monday versus St. Joseph of Trumbull and May 15 against Westhill in Stamford. Both are at home at 4:30 p.m. (Game schedules are subject to change; click for the latest updates.) 

Trumbull is tied for first in the FCIAC standings and Ludlowe and St. Joe’s are among the group tied at 6-4 in fourth place. Danbury (4-6) and Westhill (3-7) are out of the playoff picture at the moment.

Andy Hutchison has been covering school sports — including Staples athletics — as well as news and feature stories in Fairfield County, since the 1990s.