By ALEX SPONSELLER

The Warwick PAL and Coventry Connie Mack baseball game was forfeited after umpires called an end to play in the bottom of the seventh inning due to unsportsmanlike conduct last Saturday morning at Mickey Stevens.

After multiple complaints from the PAL coaching staff regarding taunting from the Coventry players, the umpires issued warnings to each side in the sixth inning, saying that another exchange from either team would result in a forfeit for each club.

Coventry led 4-2 heading into the final half inning, and PAL had one runner on with one out. A Coventry player would go on to make a comment to the umpire from the dugout, which resulted in the home plate official calling the game and rule it as a no contest for each team.

“It’s very frustrating. If you saw the kid chirping, you throw that kid out, don’t just end the game. That was disappointing. They’re in charge, the umps are in charge so what they say goes,” said PAL coach Ed Colvin.

Coventry mounted a 3-0 lead and held PAL hitless until the fifth inning, but Warwick’s Andrew Wheeler would hit an RBI single to make it 3-1. Tyler Cote would then knock in another run in the bottom of the sixth to make it 3-2.

Coventry would add an insurance run in the top of the seventh. Connor Farrell would reach base in the bottom of the seventh when he was hit by a pitch.

“It was a great game. (Coventry’s) pitcher threw very well. We’re struggling at the plate. We’re hitting in spurts but overall, we’re struggling at the plate. Even our better hitters have been struggling. All of our games have been competitive but we just haven’t scored runs. Hopefully that turns around because we do have some good hitters,” said Colvin.

PAL pitchers Bobby Court and Matt Colvin combined to allow just two earned runs on five hits while striking out eight batters.

“The pitching has been phenomenal and has been keeping us in these games, both our starters and (relief pitchers). Defensively, we have some lapses here and there. That’s the problem with not scoring runs, it puts pressure on them … we give up one or two unearned runs then they have that pressure,” said Ed Colvin.

PAL remained at 1-5 after the no contest but rebounded to beat La Salle 9-5 the following game. All teams make the playoffs in Connie Mack, so Ed Colvin hopes his team’s offense can take off and gain some momentum in the back half of its regular season schedule.

“It’s a mental thing. Some of these kids are good two-strike hitters, but they’re not hitting on two strikes. I’ve coached some of these kids for a few years so I have seen them hit, but right now, if they go down 0-2 then they’re done. I know they can put the ball in play so it’s just something we’ll need to keep working on,” Ed Colvin said.