By Michael Letendre
BRISTOL – The Lewis Mills baseball squad is a talented bunch that started off the 2023 campaign with two tough losses.
But in a showdown against Bristol Eastern on Monday afternoon, the Spartans exploded against the Lancers over a 9-3 victory from Clem J. Roy Field in Bristol.
It was the first win of the campaign for Mills (1-2) while the Kingstreeters evened their ledger to 1-1 (0-1 in CCC South play).
Eastern tallied just four hits in the game, led by blazing doubles from Ben D’Amato and Rio Fernandez.
The Spartans jumped out to a 9-0 edge after three-and-a-half innings and never looked back.
Lewis Mills sophomore Matt Chirumbolo threw extremely well on the mound, leading to the program’s first victory.
The right-handed ace (five Ks, only one walk) faced the minimum batters over the first four innings and pitched shutout ball in his first five frames.
But the youngster allowed three hits and three runs in the sixth tilt before being relieved by Evan Dougherty.
Neither team netted a run over first inning play but in the second stanza, Mills attacked Eastern starter Ryan Maglio for four runs.
A single by Lilly Martineau, followed by an RBI double from Ben Rewenko (3-for-3, double) made it a 1-0 contest.
An error and a walk loaded the bases for the visiting aggression and then Tom O’Connell drilled a two-run single for a 3-0 push.
And when the final run came home via wild pitch, the Spartans were in front 4-0.
Mills added four more runs in the third to space out the Eastern deficit to 8-0.
The Spartans’ Cam Fisher opened the inning with a double and scored off two wild pitches to make it a 5-0 game.
Rewenko then singled, swiped second and headed to third on a bunt single by Noah Moriarty.
The lead runner scored on a fielder’s choice, making it 6-0, before Eastern’s Declan Schenck replaced Maglio on the hill.
Moriarty scored on Brett Harding’s sacrifice fly and Jayden Longdin singled in Chirumbolo as the Spartans were up big, 8-0.
Even as Mills added an unearned run in the fourth to snare a 9-0 cushion, Schenck pitched well in relief for the home team.
He threw 3.2 innings of three hit ball, allowing just one unearned run, striking out three and walking just one.
And finally in the sixth inning, Eastern generated some offense.
Jed Sutula nabbed a base hit to open the frame and Maglio walked to put two runners on.
D’Amato’s double to right center scored Sutula and Maglio, trimming the deficit to 9-2.
Fernandez followed up with his two-base hit to right center, scoring D’Amato, to trim the deficit to 9-3.
Dougherty eventually relieved Chirumbolo, throwing the final 1.2 innings for the Spartans.
He did not yield a hit, fanned three, walked two and helped generate a 1-6-3 double play to end the game as Mills grabbed a 9-0 decision in the end.
The Lancers are back in action on Wednesday, battling Berlin on the road from Sage Park.
Game time is set for 3:45 p.m.
NOTES…The Lancers play three of their next four games on the road which includes a stop at home next Wednesday (April 19) against CCC interdivisional foe Conard…Eastern is now 4-3 all-time against Lewis Mills…The contest against Berlin will mark Eastern’s 1240th game in program history.
Bristol Eastern Baseball – CCC South Challenge
LEWIS MILLS 9, BRISTOL EASTERN 3
from Clem J, Roy Field, Bristol.
Lewis Mills (1-2) 044 100 0 – 9 9 1
Bristol Eastern (1-1) 000 003 0 – 3 4 3
Battery – Lewis Mills: Matt Chirumbolo, Evan Dougherty (6) & Tom O’Connell; Bristol Eastern: Ryan Maglio, Declan Schenck (3), Owen Myers (7) & Rio Fernandez.
WP – Matt Chirumbolo (Lewis Mills); LP – Ryan Maglio (Bristol Eastern)
Lewis Mills Batting
2B – Ben Rewenko, Cam Fisher
3B – None
HR – None
Bristol Eastern Batting
2B – Ben D’Amato, Rio Fernandez
3B – None
HR – None
Records: Lewis Mills 1-2 overall; Bristol Eastern 1-1 (0-1 CCC South)
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