Shorthanded Saints overcome talented Ponaganset
STAFF REPORTS PAWTUCKET — Down two starters, the St. Raphael baseball trailed visiting Ponaganset by four runs heading to the bottom of the second of Friday’s Division II clash at Vets Park.
The Saints responded to the deficit by putting up a six-spot, as a pair of unlikely contributors came through in an eventual 10-5 that kept SRA’s bid alive to obtain a bye in the opening round of the playoffs.
Payton Latendresse and Aiden Cherniawski fueled St. Raphael’s six-run second inning – each player contributed a bases-clearing triple. Both players finished the game with four RBIs apiece.
The Chieftains got one run back in the third to make it a one-run game, but SRA’s Tyler Tremblay highlighted his team’s three-run third inning with a tworun double.
Daniel Wulf was the beneficiary of the run support. The SRA senior struck out 11 in six innings, allowing two earned runs on three hits while walking two. Kenny Jacques finished 3-for-3 and scored three times.
SRA will carry a 9-5 record into Tuesday’s home game against East Greenwich.
LIONS TOP OAKERS LINCOLN — A four-run uprising in the fifth inning helped Lincoln overcome a one-run deficit and pull out a 5-2 win over Coventry in Division I action Friday night at Chet Nichols Field. Joey Conti shined on the mound, the Lincoln senior going the distance and allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits while striking out five.
Conti threw 52 of his 81 pitches for strikes, as the Lions improved to 3-9 in league play. Lucas Marshall tied the game in the fifth with a hit, while freshman catcher Caden Oldham delivered a sacrifice fly that put the Lions up for good.
Marshall finished with two hits and two RBIs, while Brennan Robert and Carson Mellon each collected two base knicks.
JAHNZ DAZZLES BRISTOL — Cumberland put the game out of reach with nine runs over the final two innings in a 10-0 win over Mount Hope in Division I action Friday. Ben Jahnz shined on the mound for the Clippers, allowing just two hits en route to the complete-game shutout that featured nine strikeouts and two walks.
The Clippers (9-4, Division I) sent to 11 to the plate as part of their six-run sixth inning. Back-to-back singles from Josh Lyon and Andy Ray made it 4-0. An RBI double in the fourth inning from Lyon delivered the game’s first run.
Jahnz helped out his own cause with two hits. Three additional players – Lyon, Ray and Tyler Hurteau – also had two hits as the Clippers now turn their attention to Monday’s matchup at Tucker Field against undefeated Bishop Hendricken.
TORRES DELIVERS PROVIDENCE – Jeremy Torres was unhittable, tossing a complete-game two-hitter with 15 strikeouts as Pawtucket defeated defending Division III champion Mount Pleasant, 2-0, on Friday. Torres didn’t issue a walk and struck out eight straight at one point as the local coop squad improved to 12-3 in league play.
Pawtucket pushed across solo runs in the first and second innings. Claudio Martinez lifted a sacrifice fly that scored Ethan Torres in the first. In the second, a two-out hit from Torres scored his brother Jeremy.
A key game awaits Tuesday as Pawtucket hosts Exeter/West Greenwich in a matchup of D-III contenders. The Scarlet Knights beat Pawtucket, 10-0, when the teams met back on April 30.