Westport’s Staples High School varsity baseball team beat Brien McMahon of Norwalk 9-0 today and the Senior Day victory clinched a first place seed in the FCIAC tournament. Said Head Coach Jack McFarland: “I am really proud of the team. They had a bullseye on their back day in and day out, and they put together one of the best regular seasons in Staples baseball history. I am really happy that the team was able to perform at such a high level today to make sure that Senior Day was a memorable one for our seniors who mean so much to the program.” Staples—15-5 (14-4 FCIAC)—faces Wilton at home in first round on Tuesday at 4 p.m.  Pictured (l-r) are seniors Captain Ryan Crofts, Yarden Orly, Captain Vince Lametta, Captain John Oppenhimer, Captain Mike Rutski, Brad Bernard, Ben Andrew and Robby Burigo. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Pam Moss for WestportNow.com

Metro-North’s direct Westport to Yankee Stadium service will begin Saturday—not soon enough for some Yankee fans who have endured traffic-challenged and extended and inconvenient train-subway journeys for years.
The new Yankee Stadium/153rd Street Station will allow Westport Yankee fans to get to and from the stadium in an hour. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Metro-North photo

The new service comes two years after construction began of a new $91 million Yankee Stadium/153rd Street station. Metro-North expects up to 10,000 fans to pass through the station on game days.

For 1:05 p.m. weekend games, trains will leave Westport at 10:20 a.m., 10:50 a.m., and 11:20 a.m. and arrive about an hour later. 

For weekend 4:10 p.m. games,  trains will leave at 1:17 p.m., 1:50 p.m. and 2:17 p.m. 

There was a long line outside the Legends of the Game sports memorabilia store on Westport’s Post Road East today for a signing appearance by baseball great Dwight “Doc” Gooden, former New York Met and New York Yankee. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

Mark Hennessy (l) of the Staples Diamond Club thanks supporters of the Staples baseball team booster club for their donations and hard work at today’s dedication ceremony for the refurbished Staples baseball field. The project has totally changed the look and feel of the Staples baseball complex, making it among the top fields among FCIAC competitors. In addition to rainy weather, the only negative today was a Staples 3-1 loss to Wilton. The Wreckers are now 8-4 (7-3 FCIAC) on the season. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo

Bruce Betts (c), head boys volleyball coach at Westport’s Staples High School, achieved his 300th career coaching win Monday with a 3-0 victory over Harding at Staples. Betts, who started the volleyball program in 1987 but did not play official matches until the FCIAC recognized boys volleyball as a varsity sport in 1991, has a 300-52 career record. After the match, players, parents, and fans gave him two signed volleyballs and a banner. Rob Goddu for WestportNow.com

A dozen members of the Westport Weston Family Y Water Rat swim team left Westport for Fort Lauderdale, Fla. early today where they will compete next week in the National YMCA Short Course Swimming Championship. Ten of the swimmers have previously represented the Westport Family Y at nationals. Corey Bacon, a sophomore at Staples, and Nathaniel Boley, an eighth grader at Coleytown Middle School, pictured wearing bunny ears, are rookies to the team. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo

Westport’s Police Athletic League (PAL) hosted the Court Jesters at Staples High School tonight. The gym rocked with a sell-out crowd cheering on the Westport All Stars. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Stephen Rubin for WestportNow.com

The Westport All Stars representing Westport schools faced off tonight against the Court Jesters in a PAL basketball fund-raiser at Staples High School. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Stephen Rubin for WestportNow.com