The Southwick-Tolland Regional High School baseball team suffered a slight setback yesterday, losing to Hampshire Regional in a battle of Bi-County League heavyweights.
Hampshire stormed out to a 4-0 first-inning lead, and held on for a 6-3 victory to improve to 6-1 overall, 5-1 league. It was the first league loss for Southwick, which fell to 6-2, 4-1.
In the first inning, Hampshire loaded the bases on a pair of walks off Southwick freshman starting pitcher Bob Hamel, and an infield error. Another error led to the first run of the game. Consecutive RBI groundouts and a line drive single made it 4-0.
Southwick scratched back with a run in the bottom half of the inning. Nick Fortini drove in Kyle Manley who reached on a walk. Then, an inning later, the Rams closed the gap.
In the bottom of the second, Jacob Hough and Nick Massarelli reached on back-to-back walks. Hamel reached on an error. Then, Manley grounded out to Hampshire Regional reliever Eddie Hagelstein who threw to the catcher for a force out at home plate. The catcher attempted to turn a double play by throwing to first, but the ball sailed high above the first baseman’s reach and into the outfield. Two runs scored, and Southwick trailed 4-3.
Hamel, who allowed just three hits through six innings, got into a groove over the middle frames. The freshman southpaw retired six straight batters over the third and fourth innings, cruising until Scott Labrie reached to lead off the fifth inning. Labrie stole second and third, and scored on a sac-fly.
Southwick had a chance to score in the fifth after consecutive one-out singles from Ross Lebo and Tommy Mahoney, but the Rams flied out twice to end the inning.
Hampshire tacked on one more run in the seventh.
“I thought we just missed on a couple of balls,” Southwick coach Tim Karetka said, referring to a pair of well-hit fly-balls in the fifth, as well as a few other shots snared by the Red Raiders’ outfielders. “Eight or ten feet the other way, and we’ve got a few more runs.”
Southwick has little time to agonize on what could have or should have been – the Rams return to action this afternoon at home against another mighty league foe, the Palmer Panthers. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.
“We have no time to sit and whine about it,” coach Karetka added. “It doesn’t get any easier.”
