By Michael Letendre

MERIDEN – The Bristol Eastern baseball team took it to Maloney halfway through its first round Class L, first round showdown on Tuesday afternoon.

But tenth rated Maloney ended up scoring six runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to beat No. 23 Bristol Eastern by a 9-4 final in Meriden.

The Spartans (13-8) moved onto second round play to battle No. 7 Wilcox Tech on Wednesday while the Lancers ended the season with a 9-12 record. 

It was the final contest for Eastern seniors Cole Latko, Elliot Norris, Conor McCormick, and captain Jaydon Churchill.

And Churchill went down swinging, nabbing two hits (double, single), Preston Guarda added two of his own and two RBI while Rio Fernandez had a run scoring triple to highlight the offense for the Kingstreeters.

Trailing early, Eastern scored a run in the top of the fourth to knot the showdown at 2-2.

But Maloney attacked with those six runs in the bottom of the tilt to make it academic.  

After a scoreless first frame for the Lancers, Maloney nabbed a quick 2-0 lead in the bottom of the stanza.  

Following a single by Tyler Duffy and a walk, Jesus Arraez drilled a two-out, two-run double to right-centerfield to put the Lancers on the defense immediately.

Eastern earned one of those runs back in the third, trimming the deficit to 2-1.  

A two-out walk to Connor Cyr, a wild pitch, and Guarda’s single between short and third trimmed the deficit in half (2-1).  

Then, in the top of the fourth, Eastern’s Ryan Maglio opened the inning with a single to center and scored on Fernandez’s triple to right-center and it was a brand new game at 2-2.

However, it was all downhill for Eastern from there.

Maloney’s Joziah Gonzalez opened the inning with an infield single to shortstop. 

After Gonzalez stole second and went to third on a Mike Roalf wild pitch, Kyle Valentine walked and stole second to put two runners in scoring position.

Jack Fitzgerald then singled to center for two runs and ended Roalf’s day on the hill.

Churchill came on in relief of Roalf with Eastern trailing 4-2.   

After generating two outs, Churchill issued a base-on-balls and then Raf Rodriquez hit a three-run homer to left – propelling Maloney to a 7-2 edge.  

Winning pitcher Ryan Killeen followed with a single, pinch runner Ryan Pirruccio stole second and notched Maloney’s eighth run on Arraez’s single to center.

The Spartans added a run in the fifth to nab a 9-2 cushion before the Lancers netted two in the top of the sixth.  

Norris singled to center with one out, stole second and when pinch hitter Jose Feliciano walked, Maloney turned to Sam Giacco on the hill.  Churchill singled to center to load the bases and Cyr walked to force in Eastern’s third run.

And Guarda’s sacrifice fly made it a 9-4 game but time was running out on Eastern.  

Giacco then retired the Lancers in order in the seventh to seal the 9-4 win and ended another solid campaign by the Kingstreeters.

NOTES…Also in first round play in Class L, No. 22 Bristol Central hung in against No. 11 Woodstock Academy but fell by a 4-2 final to finish the season up at 9-12. It was the second consecutive season that Woodstock (13-8) had to battle a squad from Bristol in first round play…Last year, Eastern fell at Woodstock (3-1).

Bristol Eastern Baseball – CIAC CLASS L, First Round Game  

No. 10 MALONEY 9, No. 23 BRISTOL EASTERN 4

from Maloney High School

Bristol Eastern (9-12)     001 102 0 – 4 8 1 

Maloney (13-8)     200 610 x – 9 10 0 

Bristol Eastern: Mike Roalf, Jaydon Churchill (4) & Rio Fernandez; Maloney: Ryan Killeen, Sam Giacco (6) & Raf Rodriquez

WP: Ryan Killeen (Maloney); LP: Mike Roalf (Bristol Eastern)

Bristol Eastern Batting  

2B – Jayden Churchill

3B – Rio Fernandez 

HR – None  

Maloney Batting  

2B – Jesus Arraez 

3B – None

HR – Raf Rodriquez  

Records: Maloney 13-8 overall; Bristol Eastern 9-12

CLASS L – First Round Baseball Scores

Berlin 4, Bethel 2 (10)

Brookfield 10, Farmington 0

Daniel Hand 3, Ellis Tech 0

East Lyme 18, Rockville 2

Fitch 5, E.O. Smith 3

Guilford 4, Masuk 1

Lyman Hall 3, North Haven 1

Maloney 9, Bristol Eastern 4

Middletown 6, Platt 4

Notre Dame-West Haven 10, Wilton 1

Pomperaug 6, RHAM 2

Torrington 9, New London 8

Wethersfield 20, Cheney Tech 3

Wilcox Tech 3, Stratford 2

Windsor 17, Kaynor Tech 0

Woodstock Academy 4, Bristol Central 3