In the early going of the 2012 Brunswick High School baseball season, the offensive woes of the Dragons have been the clear weakness as the team began 0-4, with Edward Little paying a visit on Friday for a Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference matchup.
Down 7-3 heading to the sixth inning after leaving six runners on base, Brunswick took advantage of two EL (4-1) errors and a key tworun single by third baseman Chris Bruno to tie the game.
And, the Dragons added two more runs when EL hurler Nate Blais’ fourth wild pitch slipped past Eddies catcher Alan Nelson, with Jason Carter sprinting for home as the throw to Blais covering at the plate sailed high and into the Brunswick dugout, allowing Bruno to trot home with the tying run.
“I thought we had some pretty good approaches at the plate today, and hopefully this will be good for their confidence as we move forward,” said Brunswick coach Bill Ridge, with 0-4 Cony scheduled to visit today at 4 p.m. “Earlier in the season we got down and there wasn’t much fight, so it was good to see our seniors keeping everyone up.”
Unfortunately for the Dragons, EL rallied against Brunswick (0-5) pitcher Alex Emery in the seventh. Luke Farrago, who was 3-for-4, doubled to start the inning. With two outs, No. 9 hitter Ben Johnston, who also had a 3-for-4 afternoon, singled to give the Eddies an 8-7 lead.
Sean Ford pitched the seventh for EL, retiring the Dragons in order with two strikeouts to preserve the win.
“It feels good to bounce back, and we were able to overcome,” said Johnston. “The number-nine hitter is the second lead-off hitter and is a big part of the team. It came down to the number nine hitter, and I was able to come through.”
“Before this, we hadn’t shown that we could put together an inning, so against a good team like Edward Little it showed that we can do it,” said Bruno. “We need to get the bats going. We are a good team, and I feel this showed that we can hang with the best of them. Every team in this division is good, so we need to start winning games.”
Five-run inning
Brunswick took a 1-0 lead in the second inning. Jesse Bennett walked with two outs after Blais retired the first five Dragon hitters. He moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on an RBI double along the left-field line by Zach Lavoie.
But, EL came right back against Brunswick starter Brady Larson in the third, scoring five runs on six singles, one error and a walk as the Eddies brought 11 batters to the plate.
Nelson and Johnston opened the frame with back-to-back singles, with John Simpson bunting the runners up a base. Gage Clavet walked to load the bases, and Josh Delong reached on an infield single to tie the game. Blais dropped a single into the left field, with the throw to the infield bounding into the Brunswick dugout for an error as two runners scored for a 3-1 Eddies’ lead. Farrago and Nate Pushard followed with an RBI single each to complete the EL uprising.
A double by Delong and an error gave EL a 6-1 lead in the fourth, with Brunswick scratching a run across in the bottom of the frame as Garrett Erb scored on a wild pitch.
Both teams scored a run in the fifth, with Johnston picking up an RBI for EL — scoring pinch runner Alec Bunnell — and Brunswick answering when Erb’s infield single plated Emery.
Erb was 2-for-4 to lead the Brunswick offense. Larson pitched five innings on 10 hits, two walks, one hit batsman and seven runs allowed (five earned). Emery went the final two frames, permitting two hits, one walk, hitting a batter and allowing one run.
Blais picked up the mound win, throwing 99 pitches over six innings with seven strikeouts, three walks and two hit batters.
“I think we can bounce back, and this is something we did last year in playing these close games,” said Ridge.”
Edward Little 8, Brunswick 7
At Brunswick High School
EL — 005 110 1 – 8-12-3
Brunswick — 010 114 0 – 7- 4-2
Nate Blais, Sean Ford (7) and Alan Nelson; Brady Larson, Alex Emery (6) and Zack Lavoie.
Doubles — (EL) Josh Delong, Luke Farrago; (B) Zack Lavoie.
Repeat hitters — (EL) Luke Farrago (3), Ben Johnston (3), Josh Delong, Nate Pushard; (B) Garrett Erb.
Records — Edward Little 4-1; Brunswick 0-5.
Next for the Dragons — Today at home against Cony, 4 p.m.
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