By Michael Letendre
PLAINVILLE – The Bristol Eastern baseball team had more than a good chance in toppling the squad from Plainville on Friday afternoon in a CCC South bout.
But the Lancers simply couldn’t drive home the winning runs, falling by a 9-6 final from Plainville High School.
Plainville head coach Lou Mandeville won his 101st game, moving to 2-4 on the season.
The Lancers fell to 1-2 off the losing endeavor.
Plainville had nine hits in the game, two by Owen Leander (single and double, two runs scored, three RBI), two from Matt Bonney (a single and double, two RBI), and two by MJ Bakaysa.
For Eastern, Jaydon Churchill scooped up three hits, including two singles and a double, Ryan Maglio added two doubles, and Jose Feliciano had a double and a single to pace the offense against the pesky Blue Devils.
The Lancers etched up nine hits overall along with nine walks, one batter was plunked by a ball and a catcher’s interference put several runners on base.
However, the Lancers had trouble getting those players home.
Eastern left fourteen runners on base, leading to doom and demise.
The Lancers netted two runs in the top of the first to get on the scoreboard.
Churchill singled, stole second, Maglio walked, and Ben D’Amato dropped in a base hit to left to score Churchill, making it a 1-0 game.
Feliciano got on via a catcher’s interference and when Owen Myers was hit by a pitch, Maglio scored as the Lancers led it, 2-0.
Plainville came right back in the bottom of the first with four runs off Churchill, who started the contest on the mound for the Kingstreeters.
Leadoff hitter Mike Ouellette walked, Brennan Staubley’s short fly to center dropped in for a hit, putting runners on second and third.
And Leaner singled in Ouellette to trim the deficit in half.
Following a hit batter, Tyler Durling’s sacrifice fly scored Staubley as the event was all knotted up a 2-2.
Then a fielder’s choice at second came too late to generate on the out, loading up the bases.
A walk and a single to left by Bonney scored the final two runs of the inning as Plainville secured a 4-2 lead through one.
Eastern got a run back in the top of the second as Elliot Norris struck out but reached first on a passed ball.
Churchill followed with a double to left to score Norris, making it a 4-3 contest.
In the top of the fourth, Eastern scored twice to take a 5-4 edge.
Maglio doubled to left to open the inning and Rio Fernandez followed with a home run over the left field fence as the visitors secured a one-run push.
It would be the final lead of the afternoon for the Lancers.
Plainville came right back, scoring three times in the bottom of the fourth – putting the event away.
Ouellette singled between third and short to open the inning and after Staubley was hit by a pitch, both runners scored on Leander’s double to deep left that gave the Blue Devils a 6-5 lead.
Leander took third on the throw to the plate as Caleb Molinsky relieved Churchill on the hill.
Bakaysa’s sacrifice fly to center then scored Leander for the third run of the inning, making it a 7-5 game.
Eastern scored a run in the top of the fifth to trim the deficit to 7-6 as Norris opened the inning with a walk and scored on a two-out double to right center by Maglio.
But Plainville came right back in the bottom of the inning, scoring twice, to seize a 9-6 edge.
Gavin Cooke walked to start the inning off Molinsky, later swiping second.
He scored on a double to left by Bonney, nabbing third on the throw to the plate.
D’Amato then came into pitch and following a pop up for the first out, Ouellette laid down a perfect squeeze bunt to score Bonney for the final Plainville run – resulting in a three-run lead.
However, Eastern threatened in the seventh off Leander and nearly tied the affair up.
A single by Churchill, followed by two walks, loaded the bases with one out for the Lancers.
But D’Amato’s comebacker to the pitcher resulted in a 1-2-3 double play to end the game as Plainville won the CCC South showdown by three runs.
Bristol Eastern Baseball – CCC South Showdown
PLAINVILLE 9, BRISTOL EASTERN 6
from Plainville high school
Bristol Eastern (1-2) 210 210 – 6 9 1
Plainville (2-4) 400 320 – 9 9 1
Bristol Eastern: Jaydon Churchill, Caleb Molinsky (4), Ben D’Amato (5) & Rio Fernandez; Plainville: Sean Egan, Owen Leander (6) & Brennan Staubley.
WP: Sean Egan (Plainville); LP: Jaydon Churchill (Bristol Eastern).
Bristol Eastern Batting
2B – Ryan Maglio (2), Jaydon Churchill, Jose Feliciano
3B – None
HR – None
Plainville Batting
2B – Matt Bonney, Brennan Staubley
3B – None
HR – None
Records: Plainville 2-4 overall; Bristol Eastern 1-2
