The Bristol Eastern baseball team held a 3-0 lead over Platt in the middle of the fourth inning on Saturday, but the final five runs of the game were scored by the Panthers as they came back and gained a 5-3 victory at the Rich Katz Field at Platt High School.
Eastern took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second, getting four straight hits, all with two outs. Rio Fernandez started the rally with a line single to left, went to third on a single to right by Anthony Nocera, and then scored on Brayden Schenck’s single to left. Caleb Molinsky followed with a single to right, but Nocera was thrown out at the plate trying to score to end the inning.
The Lancers added two more runs in the top of the fourth. Preston Guarda opened the inning with a double to deep center. Nocera then singled to center to score Guarda. Schenck followed with a bloop hit over short, putting runners on the corners. Molinsky laid down a perfect bunt, scoring Nocera, giving BE a 3-0 lead going into the bottom of the fourth.
Eastern starter Jonny Montgomery meanwhile had pitched three scoreless innings, allowing only a first inning single. But in the bottom of the fourth, things fell apart for the Lancers. Platt scored four times on a combination of Panther hits and Lancer errors, taking a 4-3 lead.
Jayden Gaither opened the fourth with a single to right, Dylan Link reached on an outfield error, and Ryan Zauner doubled to center to score both runners. Two walks, followed by an infield error, and a sacrifice fly accounted for the final two runs of the inning, ending Montgomery’s day on the mound. Declan Schenck came on in relief, with Eastern turning a double play to finally end the fourth frame.
Platt’s Jordan Malone relieved starter Dylan Link to start the fifth and Eastern managed only one baserunner over their final three at-bats, a single by Fernandez in the sixth.
Platt added their final run in the sixth, Jefferson Rosario doubling with two outs, and scoring on a single by Tyler Cioffi.
The Lancers collected nine hits for the game, two apiece by Fernandez, Nocera, and Brayden Schenck.
Eastern was guilty of six errors in the game, which is not a good recipe for success.
BRISTOL EASTERN (4-9): 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 – – – – – 3 9 6 PLATT (8-5): 0 0 0 4 0 1 x – – – – – – 5 5 0
Bristol Eastern: Jonny Montgomery, Declan Schenck (4) & Owen Myers Platt: Dylan Link, Jordan Malone (5) & Hunter Sinovic
WP: Link LP: Montgomery
2B: BE: Guarda P: Zauner, Rosario
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