By Drew Mals (@MalsDrew)
NEW BRITAIN—The New Britain Bees defeated the Pittsfield Suns, 6-5, courtesy of a Tyler Pettorini (Ohio State) walk-off home run in a Futures Collegiate Baseball League game at New Britain Stadium Wednesday night. Pittsfield got out to an early 1-0 lead when Rob Taylor (New Haven) hit a sac-fly to right field that scored Bo Bramer (Fordham).
New Britain knotted things up in the second when Elliot Good (Central Connecticut State) hit into a fielder’s choice that scored Tyler Pettorini (Ohio State). The Bees took a 2-1 lead in the third on a base hit into left field from Jason Claiborn (Eastern Connecticut State) that drove in Jeff Nicol (Central Connecticut State).
Pettorini drove in his 21st run of the campaign when he knocked in Claiborn (Eastern) in the sixth to make it 3-1, New Britain.
The Bees had control most of the game until the eighth when Pittsfield was able to put up three runs when Pittsfield’s Matt Ryan (University of Maryland Baltimore County) hit a single into right field that scored Brennan Hyde (Nichols), Anton Lazits and Taylor (New Haven) giving the Suns a 4-3 lead. Taylor scored on an overthrow from Mark Coley (Rhode Island).
Coley redeemed himself when he hit a game-tying home run that even the game up at 4-4. The Bees took the lead when Good drove in Colton Shaw (Yale) on a sacrifice fly to right field giving the Bees a 5-4 lead heading into the ninth.
The game kept going back and forth in the late innings as Mike Marella (Fairfield) surrendered the game tying run to Pittsfield as Bramer knocked in Jack Ryan (UMBC).
The Bees were held scoreless in the ninth sending the game to extra innings. Marella was able to make quick work of the Suns, sitting them down one-two-three. Then, in the bottom of the 10th, it took just one batter for New Britain to finish of the game off as Pettorini absolutely crushed a walk-off homer into the night as Bees came out on top after some late inning fireworks.
The Bees are back in action Thursday night at home taking on the Norwich Sea Unicorns for the last matchup between the two Connecticut FCBL teams. It’s Thirsty Thursday presented by Pabst Blue Ribbon at New Britain Stadium with $2 Pabst Blue Ribbons available to fans 21 and older.
The Futures League is a summer circuit consisting of collegiate baseball players—primarily from area colleges and universities. Established in 2011, the Futures League is modeled after the Cape Cod League offering a friendly, fan-friendly environment mirroring the style of a minor league season, with games played from late May through August. The FCBL has garnered the reputation of being one of the most talented and competitive amateur baseball leagues in the country over its first decade of play with more than 150 of its players having been drafted by MLB organizations.
WP—Marella LP—Lazitz
No comments:
Post a Comment