By Michael Letendre 

BRISTOL – In a game between the Avon and Bristol Eastern baseball programs last Thursday, one team was able to tally big hits while the other one did not.

And that lack of a big hit cost the Lancers in the end as the squad fell to the Falcons by a 5-1 final from Muzzy Field in Bristol.

Avon improved to 12-6 overall while Eastern fell to 5-12. 

The Lancers had only six hits for the day, scoring their lone run in the bottom of the fourth.

Eastern’s Caleb Molinsky did a credible job on the mound for the first six innings before tiring and giving up three consecutive hits and two runs to start the seventh inning.  

In four of the six frames, Molinsky was able to retire the first two batters and limited the scoring opportunities for Avon.

But the other innings is where the Falcons went on the attack.   

With one out in the third inning of the scoreless game, Avon’s Michael Prisco and Chris Beloin singled to put two on.  

Prisco scored on a two-out infield single to short by Connor Lavore and Beloin later tagged the dish on a wild pitch for a 2-0 lead.  

Avon picked up an unearned run in the fourth as a run scored on an infield error, making it a 3-0 contest.  

In the bottom of the fourth, Eastern’s Isaac Roberge walked with one out, went to second on a wild pitch, got to third on a groundout, and scored on Kyle Babin’s perfect bunt base hit to the left side to trim the deficit to 3-1 as the home squad was hanging around.

Avon tacked on their final two runs in the seventh to snare a four-run cushion.

Prisco led off with a single to left, Beloin tripled to the gap in left center to drive in Prisco and a single to center scored Beloin – making it 5-1.  

Eastern’s Declan Schenck then relieved Molinsky and got the final three outs to end the inning.  

The game wasn’t all one-sided as the Lancers were just one hit away from breaking the showdown open. 

But that hit simply didn’t come in the clutch despite Eastern setting the table to score runs.

In the third tilt with two outs, Connor Cyr and Ben D’Amato singled but Avon starter Ethan Lavore posted a strikeout to end the inning. 

In the fourth, when Eastern scored its lone run, two runners were left on base when Lavore again got a strikeout to end the frame. 

In the sixth stanza, the Kingstreeters had multiple men on base but just couldn’t push one home.

An error, a hit batter, and a base-on-balls loaded things up with two outs. But a K by Avon reliever Harry Engle ended the inning.  

Finally in the seventh, trailing 5-1, Cyr singled to start the inning as the rally was on.

With two away, Rio Fernandez was hit by a pitch – putting two runners on.

However, Engle generated a strikeout for the third out to end the game with Avon seizing a 5-1 win. 

This week

Over the final week of the regular season, Eastern plays three times.

The big one is on Monday when Eastern and Central square off from Muzzy Field at 6 p.m.

The following day, the Lancers travel to battle East Hartford at McKenna Field (3:45 p.m.) and then on Wednesday, Eastern is home for one final game against Wethersfield.

Game time is set at 3:45 from Muzzy Field.

Bristol Eastern Baseball – CCC Interdivisional Action 

AVON 5, BRISTOL EASTERN 1

from Muzzy Field, Bristol   

Avon (12-6)       002 100 2 – 5 11 1 

Bristol Eastern (5-12) 000 100 0 – 1 6 2

Battery: Avon – Ethan Lavore, Harry Engle (6) & James Walsh; Bristol Eastern: Caleb Molinsky, Declan Schenck (7) & Rio Fernandez. 

WP: Ethan Lavore (Avon); LP: Caleb Molinsky (Bristol Eastern)

Avon Batting   

2B – David Pengal 

3B – Chase Beloin    

HR – None   

Bristol Eastern Batting   

2B – None  

3B – None   

HR – None    

Records: Bristol Eastern 5-12 overall; Avon 12-6.