By Michael Letendre

MIDDLETOWN – Continuing its playoff push, the Bristol Eastern baseball team won on the road – scooping up a 7-4 decision over Middletown from Palmer Field on Wednesday.

It was a big one for the Lancers (5-8), turning away a very good Blue Dragons program (9-5).

And this time around, pitcher Mike Roalf went the distance for Eastern.

Roalf pitched a complete game, allowing eight hits, four runs (two earned), struck out four and walked only one.

Middletown scored single runs over the first, third, fourth, and seventh frames but could not cobble together enough offense to derail Roalf.

On the flip side, defense fueled the Lancers as well.

Cole Latko played well at shortstop as did Preston Guarda over at first base.

Elliot Norris and Ryan Maglio were sharp while Conor McCormick in centerfield and Connor Cyr in right field made timely throw-ins for the Kingstreeters.

Offensively, Ben D’Amato nabbed three singles and drove in two runs to lead the Lancers.

Middletown scored an unearned run in the bottom of the first to take a 1-0 lead but Eastern had a quick response.

The Lancers put up a pair of runs on the board in the second, third, and fourth frames to seize control of the game at 6-2. 

In the second stanza, walks to Rio Fernandez and McCormick, followed by a perfect bunt from Cyr for a base hit, loaded things up with no outs.  

Eastern scored a run on a double play ball and added another via a Middletown miscue to nab a 2-1 lead.

In the third, the Lancers scored two more runs to seize a 4-1 push.

Guarda led off, reaching base on an infield error.

Maglio and D’Amato followed with singles, scoring Guarda, and McCormick’s base hit brought home Maglio as Eastern went up by three.

Middletown scored a run in the third to trim the deficit to 4-2 as a leadoff walk came around to score off a sacrifice fly.

But Eastern responded in the top of the fourth with two additional runs.

With two outs, Guarda reached again on an error and Maglio walked to put two on.

D’Amato’s single to right plated Guarda and Maglio scored on a wild pitch to propel the Lancers to a 6-2 edge.

The Blue Dragons notched a run in the fourth on an Eastern blunder but maintained the lead, this time at 6-3.

Eastern’s final run came in the top of the seventh with D’Amato dropping in a one-out single to left-centerfield.

Pinch runner Gabe White eventually stole second and scored on Jose Feliciano’s long double to left that made it a 7-3 contest.

The Blue Dragons added a run late but, in the end, the Lancers got to the pay window with a three-run triumph from Palmer Field.

Looking for its third straight win, Eastern plays Plainville in a CCC South bout on Friday night from Muzzy Field at 6:30 p.m.

Bristol Eastern Baseball – CCC South Showdown  

BRISTOL EASTERN 7, MIDDLETOWN 4

from Palmer Field, Middletown

Bristol Eastern (5-8) 022 200 1 – 7 8 3

Middletown (9-5)         101 100 1 – 4 8 5

Bristol Eastern: Mike Roalf & Rio Fernandez; Middletown: Justin Almeida, Deigo Carrillo (5) & AJ Quinn. 

WP: Mike Roalf (Bristol Eastern); LP: Justin Almeida (Middletown).

Bristol Eastern Batting 

2B – Jose Feliciano

3B – None 

HR – None 

Middletown Batting 

2B – Tyler Powell

3B – None 

HR – None

Records: Bristol Eastern 5-8 overall; Middletown 9-5.