NEFL splits twin bill with Hurd

Jacob Marrocco
Posted 7/2/15

The New England Frozen Lemonade - Shields Post 43 legion team took game one of a doubleheader with Hurd Auto Mall - Post 19, 7-2, before dropping the second matchup 9-5.

NEFL only managed two hits …

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NEFL splits twin bill with Hurd

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The New England Frozen Lemonade - Shields Post 43 legion team took game one of a doubleheader with Hurd Auto Mall - Post 19, 7-2, before dropping the second matchup 9-5.

NEFL only managed two hits in the first three frames off Hurd starter Nick Pietrantozzi before reeling off seven hits and plating all seven runs in the final four. Six different NEFL players registered an RBI on the evening.

NEFL right-hander Austin Lamaire allowed the first two runners of the game to score before keeping Hurd off the board the rest of the night. Hurd (3-6) quickly had runners at first and second to lead off the contest when shortstop Jim Gianquitti singled to left and Pietrantozzi walked. Centerfielder Dan Keefe stepped in and crushed an RBI double to deep right field to bring Gianquitti around.

“Well, I wasn’t throwing strikes in the first inning, so I put my mind to throwing strikes the next inning,” Lamaire said. “It helps me out.”

Right fielder Jack Owens popped out to left for the first out, and the ball was thrown back in to catcher Tyler DiPetrillo. DiPetrillo threw over to third trying to catch Pietrantozzi leaning, but the errant attempt went soaring into foul territory. Pietrantozzi came home and Keefe advanced to third, but Lamaire settled down. He struck out third baseman Luis Nunez and left fielder Christian Ferrucci to end the threat.

Lamaire went six innings for the victory, and after Keefe’s RBI double, he allowed just four hits. Lamaire also struck out four and walked four.

“I did decent for Vets [this season], but I worked from behind a lot,” Lamaire said about how he is translating what he learned pitching at Vets to NEFL. “Then that taught me to throw first strike and not get behind in the count.”

The offense took over from there. Designated hitter Ryan Morris smacked a double deep to centerfield with one out in the fourth to start the rally. First baseman James Meizoso took his turn for an extra-base hit and knocked an RBI double into left-centerfield to plate Morris. After right fielder Marcus Alexander flew out, left fielder Chris Reid blooped a game-tying RBI single to score Meizoso from second to make it 2-2.

NEFL (6-5) kept the attack going in the fifth, aiming to jump out in front. Shortstop and No. 9-hitter Alex Lefebvre led off with a walk and took second on Pietrantozzi’s second balk of the game. Third baseman Tyler Perry brought him home when he grounded an RBI double down the left field line to put NEFL ahead for good, 3-2.

Pietrantozzi was pulled and reliever Scott Lynch issued walks to the first two batters he faced – centerfielder Elvis Pimentel and DiPetrillo – to load the bases. NEFL only managed one run out of the situation with Perry coming home on Morris’s 4-3 double play. Meizoso struck out with Pimentel on third, but NEFL led 4-2 after five.

NEFL would leave the bases loaded in the sixth, but did tack on another insurance run. Alexander was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and got to third on a bad pickoff attempt before pinch-hitter Elijah Dressel brought him in on an RBI single to left. Lefebvre and Perry both reached on errors to fill the bases, but Pimentel grounded into a 6-3 double play to end the frame.

“Preparation [was key], we hit like an hour before every game,” Dressel, who hit .261 for Pilgrim this season, said. “I’m not usually in the lineup, but I hit pregame anyway.”

Up 5-2 already, NEFL added two more runs to make it an easy seventh inning for new pitcher Jesse Holland. Pinch-hitter Shane Kittila grounded out to second base with runners at the corners and one out to bring home the sixth run. With Meizoso now at third, Dressel came up big again with an RBI triple over the centerfielder’s head to pad the lead, 7-2.

“Same swing I’ve had since Little League,” Dressel said, with a smile, about whether or not he has changed his swing this season.

“I didn’t hit in high school until this year. For varsity, at least. [I’m] just kind of lucky I guess.”

Holland only had to throw five pitches to induce three groundouts in the seventh, sending NEFL to its sixth victory.

NEFL’s three-game winning streak came to an end with a 9-5 loss in the second half of the twin bill.

NEFL will look to get back on track on Wednesday when they host East Bay/Riverside - Post 10 for a doubleheader at home. East Bay/Riverside (2-11) has lost nine of its last 10 and forfeited three of its last four games.

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