Portsmouth snaps Lincoln’s six-game winning streak

bmcgair@pawtuckettimes.com

LINCOLN – The Lincoln High baseball’s team quest to make it seven wins in a row came up just short as Portsmouth held on for a 3-2 win at Chet Nichols Field on Thursday afternoon.

Lincoln starter Corey Mayer carried a two-hit shutout into the sixth inning but that’s when the Patriots came to life and took advantage of three errors by the home team in the same frame. The Lions responded with two runs in the bottom of the sixth and actually had the potential game-tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position with two out, but Portsmouth’s Liam Griffiths was the recipient of a called third strike that extinguished the threat.

Lincoln out-hit Portsmouth, 8-5, but the Patriots (6-8, Division I) proved just a step quicker when it mattered the most. The game’s first run was the result of Portsmouth successfully executed a base-onballs trick that originated when Simon Ray drew a free pass and just kept on going after touching first. At the time, there was a runner at third after Robert Yates led off the sixth with a double and moved over to third on a bunt.

Before the Lions (8-6, Division I) knew it, Ray was standing on second and Yates was involved in a rundown between third base and home plate. A bad throw allowed Yates to score standing up.

“We talked about how Portsmouth likes to do the little stuff. We put a gameplan together and we just didn’t respond to it,” Lincoln head coach Vin Zibelli said. “They just beat us with what we like to do.”

Two more Portsmouth hits plus two additional Lincoln errors spelled the end of Mayer’s day after 5.2 innings with five strikeouts. Randall Hien took care of the final four outs, recording two strikeouts.

Lincoln did mount a serious threat against Griffiths in the sixth. Hien and Aaron DeSousa came through with back-to-back singles that placed runners on the corners with one out. With two down, Blake Zaniol and Aidan Murtha delivered RBI singles that gave the Lions plenty of hope. Griffiths then picked up one of his four strikeouts that enabled his team to remain in front heading into the seventh.

Lincoln’s Cody Anter singled with one down in the seventh but Griffiths got a fly ball and a swinging strikeout to end the game. The Lions return to action next Tuesday night (6 p.m. first pitch) against South Kingstown at Chet Nichols Field. Portsmouth 000 003 0 – 3-5-0

Lincoln 000 002 0 – 2-8-3

Liam Griffiths and Chris Bulk. Corey Mayer, Randall Hien (6) and Connor Benbenek.