Errors doom Lions in home defeat
Lincoln throws away 3-run lead in loss to Smithfield
LINCOLN — Just as she did so many times during her superb junior season, Lincoln hard-throwing righty Bella DiOrio gave her team an opportunity to win Saturday afternoon’s Division I opener against Smithfield at Saylesville Elementary.
But, as was the case far too many times last season for coach Kevin Palumbo’s liking, the Lions failed to take advantage of a well-pitched game.
The Lions had a three-run lead after the first inning, but the advantage evaporated in the sixth on the strength of a pair of infield errors and a further miscue in the outfield. Another error in the eighth inning helped the Sentinels push across the game-winning on a Hayley Harrington single in a 4-3 eight-inning victory.
“There’s nothing to say. The girls played their butts off and Bella pitched really well with 12 strikeouts,” Palumbo said. “It was the first game and early in the season, but we battled and lost. We are going to practice and practice and practice and we are going to get better.”
Smithfield (1-1) appeared to be in a lot of trouble in the opening inning when Harrington walked the first three batters she saw and then allowed a double to talented freshman catcher Hope Walinski. Three Lions scored in the inning, but the home side failed to produce a run over the next seven innings.
Harrington wound up walking just four batters, while she allowed seven hits and struck out 13 Lions.
“Offensively, I was expecting this,” Palumbo said. “We just didn’t hit and we need our 3-4-5 batters to all hit. Riley (Riendeau) has to hit and I believe our best hitter is going to be the freshman (Walinski). She’s going to hit for power. As a team, we have to get more hits.”
Lincoln (0-1) received another superb effort from its All-State pitch- er. DiOrio allowed just six hits and a pair of earned runs while striking out 12 batters and walking none.
The Lions had a chance to win the game in the last of the eighth when Riendeau, Walinski and DiOrio all delivered one-out singles to load the bases. With the game-tying run just 60 feet away, Gabrielle Smith struck out and Julia Lombardi flew out to end the contest.
Lincoln couldn’t have started the game any better, as senior Jordan Delisle, Grace Swanson and Riendeau all walked before an out was made. Delisle scored on a passed ball before Walinski flipped a double down the left-field line to score Swanson. Riendeau scored on another passed ball.
Harrington found her control and managed to strand Walinski at third base. The Sentinel senior didn’t allow another Lincoln runner to reach third base until the eighth inning and she didn’t allow another hit until a DiOrio two-out double in the sixth.
Smithfield All-Stater Alyssa Beaton (3-for-4 with three doubles and two runs scored) put her team on the board with a double to left in the fourth to score freshman Val Romero.
The Lions were still in control of the game in the sixth, but three errors in four batters allowed Beaton and Allison Oliveira to score to tie the game.
The Lions had a chance to win the game in the seventh when Lombardi singled and stole second with one out. The junior attempted to steal third, but she was thrown out to essentially send the game to extra innings.
“I did it because we weren’t hitting the ball,” Palumbo said of the attempted steal. “I had to try and manufacture something against their back-up catcher because their starter was out. I took a shot because we weren’t hitting.”
Beaton delivered a one-out double over Delaney Cavanaugh’s head and the senior scored the game-winning run on a single to left by Harrington.
The Lions will look for their first win of the young season Monday against a strong Pilgrim squad in Warwick.
Smithfield 000 102 01 – 4 6 0 Lincoln 300 000 00 – 3 7 4 Hayley Harrington and Val Romero; Bella DiOrio and Hope Walinski. 2B – S, Alyssa Beaton 3, Allie Stevens; L, Hope Walinski, Bella DiOrio.