Bellringers Hold On at Old Lyme

East Hampton went on the road and defeated Old Lyme 5-4 in a gutty performance Wednesday, running its record to 8-1.

The Bellringers tagged Old Lyme starter Nick Carlson for four runs in the third inning. A single by Austin Shumbo, an attempted sacrifice bunt by Austin Wosleger which turned into an error, and a sacrifice fly by Al Iannone made it 2-0. That was followed by an error and a long two-run homer by Marvin Gorgas to extend the inning and put the lead at 4-0.

Iannone started the game for the Bellringers and did not have his best stuff.

Old Lyme answered in the third with three runs of its own. Three singles and two walks, one with the bases loaded, got the Wild Cats within one, but coach Scott Wosleger wasn't overly concerned or surprised.

"We were on the road playing a well-coached team and a team that knows how to win," he said. "Nothing that happened to this point surprised me. Al did not have his best day, but I knew he'd compete and not give in. That's just the kind of kid he is. He and Coach Johnson [pitching coach, Gregg] grinded it out."

Iannone held on long enough for Gorgas, who came in with two runners on and no outs in the bottom of the fifth. He promptly erased a runner at third on an attempted sacrifice bunt and then struck out the next two hitters to end the threat.

Gorgas had been used primarily to close out games late, but Wosleger chose to go with the freshman in the fifth for a reason.

"It was a little early for him, but we knew they'd be bunting and he fields his position as well as anyone," Wosleger said. "Only a great bunt would get the runners over and they failed. That was a key part of the game."

The Bellringers tacked on a run in the top of the sixth on a double by Ben Fortin and an RBI single by Shumbo.

After a fairly easy sixth, Old Lyme threatened in the seventh. The first two runners reached on a hit batter and an error. Gorgas then fielded a comebacker and got a force at third. A double steal put the runners in scoring position with the potential tying run on third and only one out. Gorgas struck out the next two hitters, ending the threat once again.

"It wasn't pretty, but Al did enough to get us to Marv," Wosleger said. "We are happy to get out of here on top."

The Bellringers, who have won seven in a row, host Haddam-Killingworth on Friday at 3:45 p.m.