By Michael Letendre
NEW BRITAIN – After a tough outing against the Plainville baseball team, it was bounce back time for the Bristol Eastern baseball program in New Britain on Wednesday afternoon.
And the Lancers did exactly that over a whirlwind final inning of play.
Eastern scored four unearned runs in the top of the seventh inning, breaking a 2-2 tie, and went on to defeat New Britain 6-2 from Beehive Field.
The Lancers evened their ledger to 2-2 while the Hurricanes remain winless after five tries (0-5).
It was only a 1-1 game going into the sixth frame and after each team tallied a run, the game was again a stalemate going into the final stanza.
In the top of the seventh, Will Estronza was on the hill for New Britain when the showdown quickly fell apart on the home squad.
Eastern’s Elliot Norris singled past shortstop with one out, stealing second, and went to third on a wild pitch – representing the go-ahead run.
Jaydon Churchill walked and with men on the corners, Cole Latko’s grounder was misplayed as Norris scored to make it a 3-2 game.
With two runners in scoring position, Ryan Maglio grounded to third but New Britain failed to record an out.
The throw home attempting to tag-out Churchill was off the mark as he scored the second run of the inning, making it a 4-2 contest in Eastern’s favor.
Latko took second on the play and with runners on second and third, Ben D’Amato was at the plate.
And he made the defense pay as he bounced a single just out of the reach of the second baseman, clearing the bases, and the two RBI hit propelled Eastern to a 6-2 cushion.
But the Hurricanes had a response in the bottom of the seventh.
Eastern reliver Ryan Maglio got the first two outs in the final inning but New Britain quickly loaded the bases – putting the tying run at the dish.
An infield error, a single, and a walk loaded things up but New Britain’s Joman Rodriguez grounded out to short to end the game as Eastern won for the second time this year, taking a 6-2 final.
D’Amato had two hits and three RBI while Norris added two singles and stole two bases as the Lancers had only five hits on the day.
Eastern’s Mike Roalf pitched a stellar 5.1 innings, allowing just four hits, two runs (one earned), striking out five while walking four over his no-decision.
Eastern turned two double plays to end the third and fourth frames in support of Roalf.
Maglio relieved Roalf in the sixth and wiggled out of the seventh inning jam to earn the win.
New Britain took a 1-0 lead in the second as a walk to Gaby Roman, who quickly stole second base, scored on a double to center by Emani Gonzalez to give the Hurricanes an early lead.
Eastern then tied the game in the fourth when Rio Fernandez doubled to left and came around on an infield error to make it a 1-1 affair.
The Lancers nabbed a 2-1 edge in the sixth as Maglio started the frame with a base-on-balls with one out.
Fernandez was then hit by a pitch, putting runners on first and second, and D’Amato followed with his flair to right, scoring pinch runner Kamden Laprise, as D’Amato’s two-base gem saw Eastern grab its first lead of the afternoon at 2-1.
But New Britain came right back in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game.
Will Estronza got on via an Eastern infield error and went from first to third on a wild pick-off attempt.
He scored when Elian Collado dropped a single over third, notching the score at 2-2.
Maglio came in to relieve Roalf and pitched out of the sixth inning jam.
With two gone, Maglio walked two to load the bases but struck out Emani Gonzalez to end the sixth on an eight-pitch at bat.
And then Eastern’s seventh inning heroics sealed the deal as the Lancers got back to .500 with the four-run victory against the Hurricanes.
New Britain starting pitcher Joman Rodriquez was effective, pitching the first six innings, giving up three hits and one earned run, but could not generate the win.
Upcoming Schedule
The Lancers will play three games in four days as Eastern is on the road against Northwest Catholic on Friday, travels to Lewis Mills on Saturday, and takes a trip to Platt on Monday for a CCC South clash from Ceppa Field in Meriden.
Bristol Eastern Baseball – CCC Interdivisional Showdown
BRISTOL EASTERN 6, NEW BRITAIN 2
from Beehive Field, New Britain
Bristol Eastern (2-2) 000 101 4 – 6 5 3
New Britain (0-5) 010 001 0 – 2 5 3
Bristol Eastern: Mike Roalf, Ryan Maglio (6) & Rio Fernandez
New Britain: Joman Rodriguez, Will Estronza (6) & Emani Gonzalez
WP: Ryan Maglio (Bristol Eastern); LP: Will Estronza (New Britain).
Bristol Eastern Batting
2B – Rio Fernandez, Ben D’Amato
3B – None
HR – None
New Britain Batting
2B – Emani Gonzalez
3B – None
HR – None
Records: Bristol Eastern 2-2 overall; New Britain 0-5
