Southwick’s Bob Hamel slides safely into home plate in a game against Gateway Monday in Huntington. It was one of several runs scored by both teams. (Photo by Chris Putz)
HUNTINGTON – The Gateway Regional High School baseball team exploded for 10 runs over the course of the fourth and sixth innings to tip visiting Southwick-Tolland, 10-9, in a thriller Monday.
Gateway (6-6) scored four runs in the fourth and six runs in the fifth – courtesy of a Jake Pollard bases-clearing, 3-run triple – to take a 10-6 lead. The Gators capped off the fifth with Justin Iacovelli’s suicide squeeze bunt, scoring Calvin Dowers. It proved to be the winning run as Southwick rallied for three runs.
Gateway’s Curtis Dowers saved the game with steady pitching late.
“After two losses against Ware, this was a good pick-me-up,” said Gateway coach Gary St. Peter, whose Gators also lost to Southwick 10-1 in the previous meeting. The win also prevented the Rams (9-5) from punching their tournament ticket.
“They could’ve mercy-ruled us (the first time),” St. Peter said. “We have a lot of guys who had a page turn today. Hopefully that lights the fuel for us and we can do something to get into the tournament. This was a great comeback we didn’t expect.”
Johnny Haskell delivered three hits and three RBIs for Gateway, and Geoff Sobotka contributed two hits and two RBIs.
“Kudos to them – they made all the plays in the field,” Southwick coach Tim Karetka said.
Jake Goodreau (2 triples, RBI), Nick Fortini (2 hits, 2 RBIs), and Nick Masserelli (2 hits, triple) led the Rams’ offense.
