Plate seven in the fourth to beat Loafers, 9-5
Published in the August 18, 2017 edition
ANTHONY CARACCIOLO kept the rally alive for the Highlife in the fourth inning, as his RBI single made it 8-2. (Dan Pawlowski Photo)
By DAN PAWLOWSKI
WAKEFIELD — Game three of the Wakefield Twi League championship series last night at Moulton Field was much more than a chance to take a 2-1 series lead. It was a opportunity to make a statement. The Highlife took that chance and ran with it, as they used a seven-run fourth inning to bring them to a 9-5 victory and one win shy of the Twi championship.
The Loafers’ Taylor Robinson took the ball against the Highlife’s ace, Nick Dettorre.
Both starters kept the bats quiet through a quick two innings, featuring only a combined three hits between the two teams.
As is the case with most Twi games, as the twilight nestled over a warm Moulton field, the runs came in bunches.
The Loafers kicked things off in the top of the third, as Joe Romano took it upon himself to get a rally going. The unofficial rule book says bunting in the Twi League is strictly forbidden. Unless it’s the playoffs. Romano knew this rule very well, as did HIghlife third baseman Eric DiTonno, so when Romano squared up to bunt, DiTonno started to race in towards the plate, just in time for Romano to pull back and take the pitch.
“Gotta keep you on your toes,” yelled Romano after the pitch, who would go on to crush a double over the head of Highlife left fielder, Jason Federico. Jared Pavey chopped a grounder toward shortstop Jake Vezga, but Romano, with one more show of gamesmanship, stuttered in front of the ball on his way to third, blocking the vision of Vezga who missed it. Romano scored as the ball reached the outfield, making it 1-0 HIghlife. The Loaf continued to threaten after a Joe Russo single, and Garrett Cole walk loaded the bases. Continuing with the pattern from game one, Dettorre made the pitches when he needed to, striking out James Beaton to end the inning and limiting the damage.
The Highlife came right back in the bottom of the third, as Mark Sullivan kicked things off with a double. Vezga poked an infield single as the throw to first went wide, scoring Sullivan and tying the game. After getting two quick outs, Robinson struck out DiTonno but the inning stayed alive as the pitch landed in the dirt and DiTonno beat the throw to first. A passed ball would later score Vezga, making it 2-1 after three innings.
The Loafers tied the game in the top of the fourth as Joe Galli hit a double then scored from second on a Connor O’Brien base hit making it 2-2.
It felt like another carefully crafted pitchers’ duel until the Highlife kicked the door down in the bottom of the fourth, using eight singles to put up seven runs and take full control of the championship series.
Cliff Silva and Chris Dettorre led-off with back-to-back base hits, before Tommy Sheeran followed up with an RBI single, and Sullivan’s single brought home two runs. Two batters later, Federico hit a two-RBI single and Anthony Caracciolo and Silva followed up with two more RBI singles to make it 9-2 and knock Robinson out of the game.
Despite having the wind knocked out of them, the Loafers continued to fight in the top half of the fifth inning. Robinson responded to the tough outing on the mound by leading off with a single. Cole then walked and Beaton ripped a two-RBI triple to make the score 9-4. Next up, Galli brought Beaton home with a single and it was 9-5 before Dettorre and the Life could get one out. Matt Smith sliced one to right field in what looked like yet another hit to keep the rally going, but Tommy “Moose” Sheeran made the play of the game, and quite possibly the season, with a sliding catch as he ended up by the right field foul line. The catch was a game-changer for Dettorre and the Highlife who settled down and got a 6-4-3 double play to get out of the inning with a four-run lead in tact.
The Life went down in order in the fifth, and the Loafers mimicked that in the top of sixth.
The Loafers got out of the sixth unscathed after letting the first two batters reach, and Dettorre continued to battled in the seventh as he cruised through the last inning and put a bow on a big win for the Highlife.
With a 2-1 series lead, the Highlife will look to end it on Sunday, 5 p.m. at Moulton, while the Loafers will try their best to force a decisive game five which would take place on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.
