By Michael Letendre 

MERIDEN – The Bristol Eastern baseball team was in the mix against Platt on Monday afternoon.

But one inning of tomfoolery ended up dooming the Kingstreeters in the end. 

The Panthers scored four runs in the fourth inning, breaking open a close game, as Platt seized a five-run edge and eventually rolled out an 8-5 victory from Ceppa Field in Meriden.   

Platt improved to 7-2 overall while Eastern fell to 2-5.   

The Lancers etched up 10 hits while the Panthers only tallied four. 

Eastern also earned six walks but stranded 11 baserunners while striking out 14 times.   

Platt, on the flip side, was able to take advantage of six base-on-balls, one hit batter, and four Eastern errors to come away with the win.   

The Lancers’ Ben D’Amato rumbled up three hits, two singles and a double, scored a run and batted in two runs to lead the Kingstreeters.   

Jaydon Churchill added two hits, scored a run, and added an RBI. 

Eastern scored two runs in the top of the first to draw first blood.

An error allowed leadoff hitter Churchill to reach base, and Cole Latko and Maglio followed with singles to score Churchill while Latko scored on a D’Amato groundout to make it a 2-0 contest. 

But the Panthers had a response in the bottom of the tilt. 

Eastern starter Mike Roalf allowed two early walks, followed by an error on a pick-off attempt that put the runners on second and third.    

Brandon Cahill singled up the middle to score both runners to tie the event up at 2-2. 

After a scoreless second frame, Eastern added a run in the top of the third to snare a one run lead. 

With one out, D’Amato singled up the middle, Jose Feliciano walked, and Owen Myers drove in D’Amato with a bloop single to right to make it a 3-2 push in Eastern’s favor. 

Platt came right back in the bottom of the third, scoring twice to seize a 4-3 lead. 

The only hit of the inning was a leadoff double by Matt Merrigan as Platt got on base in a variety of ways. 

The Panthers took advantage of two errors, a walk, three stolen bases, and a wild pitch that contributed to the runs. 

Platt opened the showdown up in the fourth, scoring four runs to seize an 8-3 cushion.   

Roalf hit the first batter of the fourth inning, walked the next batter he faced, and Danny Velez followed with a double to deep center to notch two runs and propelled the home team to a 6-3 lead.   

Anthony Nocera came on in relief of Roalf and Merrigan hit his first pitch for an RBI single to center, and eventually, Merrigan scored the fourth run of the frame on another Lancers’ miscue in the infield, allowing Platt to scoop up an 8-4 ledger. 

Eastern picked up single runs in the sixth and seventh to put a dent in the final tally.   

In the sixth, Maglio singled up the middle and came in to score on D’Amato’s double to right center that chopped the deficit to 8-4. 

Eastern’s Conor Cyr singled up the middle with one out in the seventh and scored all the way from first on Churchill’s double to left, trimming the final deficit to 8-5. 

Nocera pitched well in relief, throwing three innings, allowing just the one hit, one unearned run, striking out two, and did not allow a free pass. 

Eastern is scheduled for home games this week on Wednesday against Maloney and Friday afternoon versus Northwest Catholic. 

And next Monday, Bristol Central and Eastern tangle for the first time. 

Bristol Eastern Baseball – CCC South Showdown  

PLATT 8, BRISTOL EASTERN 5 

from Ceppa Field, Meriden 

Bristol Eastern (2-5) 201 001 1 – 5 10 4

Platt (7-2)                               202 400 x – 8 4 2

Bristol Eastern: Mike Roalf, Anthony Nocera (4) & Rio Fernandez. 

Platt: Brandon Cahill, Trent D’Aniello (5), Danny Velez (7) & Nelson Rondon. 

WP: Brandon Cahill (Platt); LP: Mike Roalf (Bristol Eastern) 

Bristol Eastern Batting 

2B – Jaydon Churchill, Ben D’Amato 

3B – None 

HR – None 

Platt Batting 

2B – Matt Merrigan, Danny Velez 

3B – None 

HR – None 

Records: Platt 7-2 overall; Bristol Eastern 2-5 

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