Early scoring carries Panthers over Titans

By Jacob Marrocco
Posted 4/19/16

The Toll Gate baseball team twice had opportunities to level the score with Johnston on Monday afternoon, but starter Jacob Pratte was too much as the Panthers escaped with the 5-2 win.

Johnston …

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Early scoring carries Panthers over Titans

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The Toll Gate baseball team twice had opportunities to level the score with Johnston on Monday afternoon, but starter Jacob Pratte was too much as the Panthers escaped with the 5-2 win.

Johnston jumped out to a 4-0 lead after three innings and it would be all Pratte would need, going all seven innings with six strikeouts and just one walk. He was able to work out of second-and-third, two-out situations in the fourth and seventh innings.

“His pitch count was very down, I think he ended up with 77 for the game, which at this time of year on a beautiful day like today, he was good for it,” Johnston manager Steve DeMeo said of sticking with Pratte for the final inning.

Joseph Michael was the star of the day offensively for the Panthers, smacking two doubles and picking up an RBI. Captain and catcher Nick Raposo scored twice and notched an RBI as well.

Toll Gate starter Josh Coleman struggled with his control early despite getting two quick outs to start the game. Coleman walked the bases loaded before issuing another free pass to Zach Clesas on four straight pitches, driving in the day’s first run. Coleman would get Pratte to ground out to end the threat, but not before a passed ball plated Emilio Rodriquez to put Johnston ahead, 2-0.

Coleman had a clean second inning before struggling again in the third. Michael led off with a double deep to center field, and then scurried home on Raposo’s single. That would be the day for Coleman, who gave way to reliever Matt Martinez.

Martinez provided damage control for the Titans the rest of the afternoon, going four innings without any earned runs. He forced a double play that allowed Raposo to score, but got two crucial outs for the road side. He would later get Jake Podmaska swinging to end the inning.

“Matt came in and he really picked up his team, picked up Josh [Coleman],” Toll Gate manager Nick Durand said. “Those first couple innings were tough for him. Matt did a great job helping us out, keeping us in it.”

With Martinez dealing on the hill, Toll Gate went to work chipping away in the fourth. Dylan Palmiotti started the rally with a double into center field, and Kyle McGuire walked to put two on with nobody out. After Pratte fanned Ryan Viti, he yielded a base hit to Joe Gasbarro to load the bases.

Nick Cehelsky got the Titans (1-4) on the board when he grounded into a fielder’s choice, setting up a first-and-third with two outs for catcher Marcus Alexander. Alexander delivered with a single into left field that allowed McGuire to trot home easily, cutting the deficit down to 4-2.

“Marcus is a baseball kid,” Durand said. “He loves the game. He loves being out here every day. Doesn’t matter where we put him, he’s going to do well and he’s going to try his best.”

The Panthers (4-1) were able to get a run back in the bottom half of the inning after Frank Heredia reached on an error by Martinez, his first of two on the day. He moved to second on a walk, then to third on a fielder’s choice. Michael stepped up and came through, poking a single up the middle to give Johnston an insurance run.

“Joe came up big for us today,” DeMeo said. “I mean, we had a few chances to kind of bust it open and we didn’t, but every time Joe came up it was a big spot. He’d come through.”

Toll Gate gave it one last run in the final frame, and Pratte returned to the bump despite the save situation. Alexander reached on a single to left field with one out, and one batter later Martinez moved him along when he got to first on an error at third base. Coleman came to the plate as the tying run with two down, but he grounded out to second to end the game.

Johnston will have a few days off before traveling to Barrington for an 11 a.m. first pitch on Friday. The Titans, on the other hand, will have to regroup quickly for a Wednesday meeting at Mickey Stevens with North Kingstown at 4 p.m.

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