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AMCATS Claw Past Hawks 10-9
PAXTON, Mass. – Paxton, Mass. - The AMCATS Jeff Scafidi (Worcester, MA) and JK Vaughn (Simsbury, CT) each collected their 100th career hits to lead Anna Maria to 10-9 victory over Becker. Scafidi went 3-4 with 2 RBI, collecting his 100th hit in the sixth inning, while Vaughn added two hits and two RBI, earning his 100th hit during the fifth. Todd Tompkins (West Haven, Conn.), Tony D’Addio (West Haven, Conn.), and Eric Lajoie (Oakham, Mass.) chipped in with two hits apiece in the loss for the Hawks. The win snaps an eight game losing streak for the AMCATS, who improve to 13-14 on the year, while the Hawks fall to 6-11.
Anna Maria got on the board early, scoring Mike Galvin (Worcester, MA) on sacrifice fly by Scafidi in the first.
The AMCATS put another run on the board in the second on a solid RBI double by Vaughn, taking a 2-0 lead.
Becker responded with their first run of the game in the top of the third. After a strikeout to start the inning, shortstop Keith Kandel (Fresno, Calif.) singled and advanced to second base after an infield hit by Joe Corey (Billerica, Mass.). With runners on first and second, Austin Phillips (Thomson, Ga.) came to bat and stroked an RBI single, scoring Kandel to make the score 2-1.
Anna Maria extended their lead to 5-1 in the fifth inning, but it didn’t last long. After a walk and a single, Anna Maria pitcher Pete Labelle (Gardner, Mass.) was lifted in the sixth after giving the team a solid five innings. After a bunt single loaded the bases, freshman catcher Kyle Beede (Auburn, Mass.) delivered an RBI single to cut the AMC lead to 5-2. Lajoie then came up and stroked a two-run single to bring the Hawks within one run. The rally continued, and after a two run doubles by Ryan Sczerbinkski (Cranston, R.I.), and Tompkins, as well as some sloppy fielding, the Hawks took a 9-5 lead.
Jeff Kodys (Holden, Mass.) led off the bottom of the sixth with a long double off the top of the fence. After two strikeouts and a hit by pitch, Scafidi plated Kodys on a solid single to right center. Jim McNamara followed with an RBI single of his own, cutting the BC lead to 9-7.
Pitcher Eddie Maldonado (Worcester, Mass.) blanked the Hawks for the next two innings, keeping the AMCATS in the game.
In the bottom of the seventh, the AMCATS loaded the bases on three walks for Galvin who also drew a walk to score in a run, cutting the lead to 9-8. The Hawks had a chance to close out the AMCATS’ rally with a bases loaded double play, but the throw to first sailed wide allowing two runs score, giving Anna Maria a lead that they wouldn’t give up.
Maldonado preserved the victory by stranding runners on first and second to end the game, giving him his second win of the year.
The Hawks will look to bounce back against Lasell at home this Thursday at 3:00 pm, while the AMCATS return to action on Wednesday to take on Nichols in a playoff-implicating TCCC doubleheader starting at 12:00pm.
