Warriors get the timely hits in 6-4 triumph over Austin Prep
MIKE GUANCI, a senior captain (#12) had three hits with two doubles, two RBIs, and a run scored in Wakefield’s 6-4 triumph over Austin Prep yesterday afternoon. (Keith Curtis Photo)
Published in the April 14, 2017 edition.
By JIM SOUTHMAYD
READING — After three regular season postponements and seeing nearly all of its scrimmage schedule wiped out, the Warrior baseball team was just happy to get on the field and play a game.
It also helped that the Warriors came away with a victory as well as they defeated Austin Prep by a 6-4 tally yesterday afternoon in a make-up game played at Austin Preparatory School in Reading.
Wakefield broke a 3-3 tie with two runs in the fifth inning and added one more for some breathing room in the top of the sixth inning. The Cougars got one run back in the last of the seventh, but Wakefield held on for the non-league win.
“It was a nice win,” said coach Keith Forbes. “I’m happy with the way we played. This is pretty much a whole new team. Austin Prep was one of the best teams in the state last year and they really put it on us (the Warriors lost to the Cougars 15-0 a year ago). They had a lot of players back from that team. I think for the seniors on our team, this game was personal for them. They wanted to win the game.”
One of those players was senior captain Mike Guanci. Guanci led the Warrior offense as he had three hits in four at bats and reached on an error as well. The senior had two doubles, drove in two runs, and scored a run as well.
“Guanci is a senior captain and he had a monster game,” said Forbes.
Another player that remembered that one-sided defeat was senior pitcher John Evangelista. The right-hander earned the victory in relief as he hurled four innings giving up one run on four hits while striking out one and walking three.
Evangelista also helped his own cause as he drove in a run with a an RBI single to right field in the fifth inning.
“John Evangelista is a senior and played basketball during the winter,” said Forbes. “He is a good athlete. I wanted to call the squeeze (in the fifth), but he told me he was going to get a hit. So I trusted him and he came up big. He also pitched well for us.”
Ben Coccoluto, a senior, started the game for the Warriors and hurled three innings. The right-hander gave up three runs (one earned) on four hits while walking three batters and hitting a batter.
“Ben struggled with his control a little bit, but settled down,” said Forbes.
Wakefield plated two runs in the top of the first inning as Cougar right-hander Dennis Taylor struggled with his control.
Senior captain Tim Hurley was hit by a pitch and stole second base. Jake Nardone, a junior, drew a one out walk. Guanci then rapped a single to left field to score Hurley. Brett Maloney, a senior, walked to load the bases. A wild pitch brought in Nardone before Taylor struck out the next two batters to strike out the side in the frame.
Austin Prep answered with two runs in the last of the first inning, but missed an opportunity for more runs as it left the bases loaded. The Cougars left the bases juiced three times in the contest and left 11 runners on base.
Logan Bravo singled to center field with one out and reached third base as the ball got by senior Dave Melanson in center field. Peter Burns walked and Josh Bartnick was hit by a pitch to lead the bases. A sacrifice fly to right field by Brendan Barry brought in Bravo. An error at third base by Guanci resulted in Burns crossing the plate to tie the game.
Mike Galligani walked to load to the bases with two outs, but a pop up to shortstop ended the frame.
In the top of the second, senior Kyle Grossi drew a one out walk. But the Cougars turned a 6-3 double play to end the half inning.
Austin Prep took a 3-2 lead in the home half of the second inning, but had an opportunity for more as it left the bases loaded for the second time in as many frames.
Dylan Arnold singled to left field and stole second base. John Gilbride smashed a double to left field to score Arnold. Bravo walked. After two fly ball outs, Barry reached on an infield hit to second base to load the bases. But a grounder to third base ended the inning.
The Warriors came back and tied the game in the top of the third inning. Will Shea, a senior, and Nardone both walked which marked the end of the day for Taylor. Taylor went two plus innings giving up three runs on one hit while walking five batters, striking out three, and a hitting a batter.
Rob Cobb relieved Taylor and was greeted with an RBI double to right field by Guanci. Cobb came back and induced three outs as the game remained tied at 3-3.
Coccoluto retired Austin Prep in the third and Evangelista worked a 1-2-3 fourth inning. Evangelista was aided on diving catch on a fly ball to left field by Nick Porter, a senior.
Porter walked in the top of the fourth but was thrown out trying to steal second. Grossi walked as well, but it wasn’t until the top of the fifth that Wakefield broke the 3-3 deadlock.
Nardone led off the fifth with a single up the middle and Guanci doubled to deep center field. With one out, Evangelista lined a base hit to the gap in right-center field as Nardone scored. With two outs, Porter laced a single to right field to plate Guanci. Evangelista tried to score on the play as well, but was thrown out at home. Still, Wakefield led 5-3.
Bartnick doubled to right field to led off the bottom of the fifth and pinch-runner Jake Thain took third on a wild pitch. But Evangelista bore down and the base runner didn’t score.
Wakefield scored its final run in the top of the sixth inning. With two outs, Shea walked and Nardone singled to center field. An error at first base loaded the bases for Maloney who came through with a hit to right field to plate Shea. On the missed relay throw, Nardone tried to cross the plate as well. But he was tagged out on the slide for the third out of the inning.
Rob Blodgett singled to right-center field in the bottom of the inning and took second on a wild pitch. Arnold reached on a hard hit infield single to second base. Two outs later Burns walked to load the best. But Evangelista got Bartnick on a called third strike to end the frame.
The Cougars got one run back in the last of the seventh inning as a sacrifice fly to left by Blodgett brought in Barry.
“If we throw strikes, make the plays in the field, and get the timely hits then we will have a chance to win,” said Forbes. “It’s good to get our first win, but it’s just one game. We beat a good team. We’re happy, but we need to work on getting better.”
Wakefield’s next game is scheduled for Wednesday, April 19 at 10 a.m. against Arlington at Spy Pond Field.
