Springfield rallies to nip GM

Just when it looked like Green Mountain might put another “W” in the books, Springfield came to life.

   

2017-05-01 / Sports Print article Print Springfield rallies to nip GM «» View full-size Springfield first baseman Calvin Roby stretches to make the catch before Green Mountain's Mack Walton can get to the bag on a bunt attempt. — TIM TAYLOR http://www.eagletimes.com/sites/www.eagletimes.com/files/imagecache/full/Spr-BSB.jpghttp://www.eagletimes.com/sites/www.eagletimes.com/files/imagecache/full/GM-BSB.jpg By TIM TAYLOR sports@eagletimes.com CHESTER — Just when it looked like Green Mountain might put another “W” in the books, Springfield came to life. The Cosmos countered GM's 4-run fourth inning with a 4-run sixth, then penetrated the middle of the field in the seventh to claim a 7-6 victory Saturday. It marked Springfield's second straight win after starting the season with four lopsided losses. “We need to get something going,” said Springfield coach Rich Saypack. “We're struggling with different things and inexperience, just a lot of things. To get behind on our own miscues, then to come back, hit the ball and play things out, we're pretty happy with that.” Matt LaChapelle scored the winning run following a leadoff walk and stolen base, and back-to-back balls up the middle. Gabe Considine scooted a ball past the pitcher and off the second baseman's glove, and John Stafford followed with a single up the middle. Nick Bedi, who came on to get the final out in the sixth, secured the victory with a pair of strikeouts and a ground out to the third baseman. GM left the tying run on third and winning run on second after Ryan McSally walked and Ethan Hart singled prior to the strikeouts. “We actually ended up with only two hits in the game, but a couple bunts we tried to put down didn't go down and that also hurts,” said GM coach Matt McCarthy. The Chieftain's' 4-run burst came with a 2-0 lead already on the board. A McSally single and Sean Kenney walk, followed by stolen bases by each, set up Hart's sacrifice bunt. A wild pitch pushed the lead to 4-1 and, following a pitching change, Chase Ordway-Smith singled, Mack Walton and Keegan Ewald walked and stole a base, setting up Josh Woods' sac fly to center field. Springfield would finally get out of the inning, but not before GM batted around to take a 6-1 advantage. The Cosmos would get one run back in the fifth when Levi Perham led off with a walk and scored on Matt Veysey's RBI double. GM suffered what would turn out to be a momentum killer in the fifth when Springfield second baseman Dylan Merrow snagged a sharp line drive out of the air and turned it into a 4-3 double play. The Chieftains would manage just four base-runners over the final 2 1/3 innings and even their seventh-inning rally caps didn't help. “We need a break and I think the play our second baseman made kind of lifted our spirits,” Saypack said. “He's a freshman. I kept him up because I think he's got good leather and today he showed he's got good leather.” “First, second out, but it's still kind of a rally killer,” said McCarthy. “Those are tough. Good play. Just base running. That was a tough play for the guy on first, but it happens.” Things still looked bleak in the top of the sixth when LaChapelle and Considine were erased on an unassisted line-drive double-play ball to first baseman Hart. Instead, the visitors came to life. Logan Whitcomb started off the comeback with a stand-up double and Calvin Roby smacked an RBI single over third. Dylan Merrow followed with a single and stolen base, then Perham looped a two-run single into right-center, eluding an impressive attempt at a sliding catch by center fielder Ewald. A Bedi single and Veysey walk moved Perham to third and he scored on a wild pitch to knot the score at six. Springfield scored the game's initial run in its first at-bats as Bedi singled, advanced to second on a fielder's choice, stole third and came home on a LaChapelle base hit. GM tied it in the bottom of the first when Woods reached on a dropped third strike, stole third and scored on a wild pitch. The Chieftains went on top 2-1 in the third when Ordway-Smith led off with a walk and eventually scored. Bedi picked up the win with 1 1/3 innings of work and went 3-for-4 with two stolen bases. Perham was 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBI. Merrow had a hit and two stolen bases, and Veysey, LaChapelle, Whitcomb, Stafford and Roby added one hit apiece. McSally and Hart had the GM hits. Tommy Knockenhauer stole three bases and Woods added two thefts asGM finished with nine steals. Springfield (2-4) jumps right back in it today, hosting Division 1 power Brattleboro (4-1) while GM (3-2) ha a few days to regroup before heading to Twin Valley (0-2) Thursday. McCarthy said his team will take the time to come together, get mentally focused and move on to the next game. “We've got a long season to go and I think we'll be OK,” he said.c="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcM4Za7fNC3QQD1UCRLOzhawe2jMe-OLi85yIc4scYLOQZYxZnqf5HwcOrHVgFBoxzOIrHDeTBviJhqOUycQ2R6Nh8pJto9QcYNfb770VVaGBT2hd59ABxF_IEyLUoFgBq4cx8FKRk5yk/s200/Springfield-white.jpg" />