West Hartford’s Hall High School baseball team defeated East Catholic 7-0 and will move on to the CCC finals.

Sports reporting is sponsored by Keating Agency Insurance

By Savannah Cote. Photos by Scott Sulkazi

Hall faced off against East Catholic on Tuesday with a trip to the CCC Championship game on the line, and the Titans delivered dominantly. Hall fired on all cylinders behind a complete-game 7-0 shutout from Max Hanawalt, who allowed just two hits to send the Titans to the CCC Championship for the second straight year. 

From the opening inning, Hall established control both at the plate and on the mound. The Titans wasted little time getting on the scoreboard, putting together a three-run first inning that immediately shifted momentum in their favor.

Josh Gertner started the rally with a single before a pitch hit Hanawalt to put two runners aboard. Quinn O’Neill then came through with a clutch two-RBI single to give Hall an early 2-0 lead. The Titans continued to apply pressure moments later when Kaiyo Sharkey drove in O’Neill with an RBI single, extending the advantage to 3-0 before East Catholic could settle into the game.

While Hall’s offense provided early support, Hanawalt made sure the lead was never in danger. The right-hander was dominant throughout the afternoon, attacking the strike zone and keeping East Catholic hitters off balance from start to finish. Hanawalt allowed just two hits across seven shutout innings while working efficiently and consistently getting ahead in counts.

Hall’s defense also played a major role behind its ace. The Titans were clean in the field and made several routine plays look easy, helping Hanawalt maintain momentum throughout the game. East Catholic struggled to generate offense all afternoon, with Hall’s pitching and defense combining for one of the team’s strongest overall performances of the season.

After the explosive first inning, both teams were held scoreless through the next several frames as the game settled into a pitcher’s duel. However, Hall broke through again in the fifth inning to create even more separation.

James Alerte reached base after being hit by a pitch, and Gertner followed with a double to put runners in scoring position. Hanawalt then helped his own cause at the plate, delivering a two-RBI single to extend Hall’s lead to 5-0. The timely hit gave the Titans additional breathing room and continued an impressive all-around performance from Hanawalt.

Hall added the finishing touches in the top of the seventh inning. A pair of walks helped create another scoring opportunity before Matthew Panarella came through with a two-RBI double to push the lead to 7-0. With plenty of support behind him, Hanawalt returned to the mound for the final inning and closed out the victory in dominant fashion.

The win sends Hall back to the CCC Championship game for the second consecutive season as the Titans continue another strong postseason run. With dominant pitching, timely hitting, and solid defense all coming together Tuesday afternoon, Hall, which had lost to East Catholic 9-8 back on April 17, looked every bit like a championship contender.

Hanawalt’s complete-game shutout will certainly be remembered as one of the Titans’ best performances of the season, and Hall now heads into the CCC title game carrying plenty of momentum.

Hall will face off against Southington – a team they most recently faced in a 13-9 loss on April 10 and lost to 6-2 in the 2025 CCC finals – for a CCC championship rematch on Wednesday at 6 p.m. at historic Muzzy Field.

Like what you see here? Click here to subscribe to We-Ha’s newsletter so you’ll always be in the know about what’s happening in West Hartford! Click the blue button below to become a supporter of We-Ha.com and our efforts to continue producing quality journalism.