By Michael Letendre
MIDDLETOWN – Bristol Eastern pitcher Jaydon Churchill has been playing some outstanding baseball this season despite the Lancers’ winless ledger after seven games.
But all that changed on Wednesday night when Eastern traveled to Middletown for a CCC South clash from Palmer Field.
And Churchill dominated, throwing a complete game gem as the Lancers put together a 4-1 victory in Middletown.
Eastern moved to 1-7 overall, getting that all-important first win, while Middletown fell to 1-4.
It was also the first career win for Eastern head coach Steve Gaudet.
Churchill, a slick-throwing righty, scattered seven hits, walked one, and punched out four over an outstanding seven inning effort.
Churchill was clutch and while he only had one perfect inning, in the second stanza, he shut down the Blue Dragons’ offense when the home team had ducks on the pond.
Middletown chucker Brent Gibson also threw a complete game, allowing just three hits but drew a tough-luck loss as errors and two extra-base hits helped the Lancers topple the Blue Dragons.
Eastern’s Andrew Lozier drilled an inside-the-park home run while Dylan Woodsome added a double to lead the visiting contingent.
The Lancers surged in front, 2-0, to open the game and never looked back.
Woodsome doubled to left with one out in the first frame and went to third on a wild pitch while Lozier walked to put runners on the corners.
Lozier then stole second base and when the ball was thrown into centerfield, Woodsome scored to make it a 1-0 contest.
Nate Ouellette then drove in Lozier on a single to right as Eastern nabbed its two-run push.
Middletown chopped the deficit in half in the bottom of the first when Ryan Michaud drilled a long home run to the bleachers in right-center – making it a 2-1 game.
However, the Blue Dragons were never a threat offensively after the first inning.
The Lancers then picked up a run in the fourth without the benefit of a hit to snare a 3-1 lead.
Ben D’Amato opened the fourth frame with a base-on-balls, took second on a wild pitch, and moved to third on Ouellette’s grounder up the middle put runners on first and third.
D’Amato came home on Trevor Nohilly’s slow roller to first as the RBI tally made it a two-run affair once again.
The final Eastern run came in the fifth as Lozier drilled an inside the park home run to deep center field, scoring easily as the relay throw was off line – making it a 4-1 game and ending any chance of a comeback bid by the Blue Dragons.
Middletown’s offense sputtered against Churchill as the program had just one multi-hit inning which came in the third.
The Blue Dragons put together two, two-out singles, but Churchill fanned the final batter he faced to end the threat.
In the sixth, Middletown was at it again but could not produce a run.
A single and a hit-by-pitch put two runners on with just one out as the trying runner came to the dish.
But Churchill made all the big pitches once again.
The Eastern standout struck out the next two batters to end the frame with the Lancers still on top by three runs.
In the bottom of the seventh, a one-out double by Ryan Quinn put a runner in scoring position but Churchill retired the final two batters to end the game as Eastern came away 4-1 winners on the road.
CCC South Baseball
BRISTOL EASTERN 4, MIDDLETOWN 1
from Palmer Field, Middletown
Bristol Eastern (1-7) 200 110 0 – 4 3 0
Middletown (1-4) 100 000 0 – 1 7 3
Battery – Bristol Eastern: Jaydon Churchill & Nate Ouellette; Middletown: Brent Gilson & Cam Brooks, Adam Passamano (7).
WP: Jaydon Churchill (BE); LP: Brent Gibson (M)
Bristol Eastern Batting
2B – Dylan Woodsome
3B – None
HR – Andrew Lozier
Middletown Batting
2B – Cam Brooks, Ryan Quinn
3B – None
HR – Ryan Michaud
Records: Bristol Eastern 1-7 overall; Middletown 1-4
