Lions suffer tough defeat at home to Thunderbolts
LINCOLN – Another game, another close-but-no-cigar chapter added to Lincoln High’s frustrating baseball season.
Cranston East pushed across an unearned run in the fifth inning and rode the powerful right arm of senior John Devine in a 1-0 victory at Chet Nichols Field Saturday night. Over a six-day span, Devine registered wins on the mound over Cumberland and Lincoln – the Clippers and Lions begin a home-and-home series Monday night at the Lions’ diamond.
Lincoln starter Joey Conti gave his team every opportunity to pull out the must-win, yet you’re not going to win too many games when your offense is held to just three hits. A senior, Conti went 6.1 innings, allowing zero earned runs on three hits while striking out seven. He walked four and hit three,
you won’t find him on the list of reasons why the Lions proved unable to make it two straight wins in Division I.
“I’ve seen Joey Conti pitch since Little League and that’s one of the best games I’ve ever seen from him,” said Lincoln head coach Steve Reynolds Sr. “Lot of guts out there. He did a great job.”
The baseball gods weren’t smiling upon Conti and the Lions in the fifth. Conti hit the first batter of the inning, who was then sacrificed into scoring position. The runner – Cranston East’s Armani Pimentel – was still at second base with two down when Conti induced a swinging strikeout at a ball in the dirt that necessitated a throw down to first base.
The throw was off-line with the ball rolling to a no-man’s-land spot on the field – as far as Lincoln was concerned. LHS right fielder Jaiden Torres hustled in and tried to get off an accurate throw. At that point, Pimental was closing in on home after realizing the predicament that served as a reminder about baseball being a game of inches.
Pitching with the lead seemed to galvanize Devine. He allowed a leadoff single in the fifth to Lincoln senior Daniel Lee but ended the frame with the potential tying run stranded at second. Devine struck out four over the sixth and seventh innings, finishing the game with a dozen punchouts.
Lincoln’s best chance to make headway against Devine occurred in the first inning. A leadoff single from sophomore Carson Mellon was followed by a walk and an error. Instead of having bases loaded with no outs and the cleanup hitter (Conti) due up, the Lions had a runner cut down at the plate. They ended up leaving the bases loaded as Devine escaped despite walking two in the opening frame.
“Tough to win ballgames when you don’t score runs,” said Reynolds. “We’re plugging away. Cranston East is one of the better offensive teams and we held them in check.”
Conti flashed his athleticism and smarts. In the second, he dove and made a nice catch off a bunt attempt. In the fourth, he thwarted a double-steal attempt when he ran at a would-be base stealer between first and second before turning and unleashing a perfect throw that nabbed the runner at the plate.
“Very head’s-up play,” said Reynolds. Cranston East had a chance to add to its lead in the seventh but Lincoln junior Jon-luca Feole once again proved money when it came to stranding baserunners. The righty inherited a two-on, out-out jam but kept it a one-run game.
Now 2-8 in league play, the Lions currently find themselves on the outside looking in at the playoff picture. Beginning with Monday night’s home game under the lights against Cumberland, they have eight games remaining to try and change that narrative.
PAWTUCKET REBOUNDS PROVIDENCE — The two-game losing streak was bushed away emphatically as Pawtucket geared up for Monday’s showdown against red-hot Scituate with a 9-1 win over Hope on Saturday.
Up 2-0, Pawtucket put up a four-spot in the fourth before adding three runs in the seventh. Pawtucket pounded out 12 hits with Harold Fernandez leading the way with three hits. Four players – Ethan Torres, Claudio Martinez, Ryan Morel and Ethan DaSilva – each had two hits apiece.
Pawtucket will carry a 10-3 record to Manning Field for a matchup against a Spartan team that’s won seven straight and tied with the co-op team in the loss column.