East Hampton Scores 11 in Third Inning to Beat Old Saybrook

It has been a strong start to the season for the East Hampton baseball team, but as it writes its resume as a contender in the Shoreline Conference, something was lacking. A victory against a quality conference team.

No offense to Westbrook (3-4), which had two impressive victories this week before losing to North Branford, but the Bellringers, who beat the Knights April 11, needed to prove something against a team few questioned as formidable.

A trip to Old Saybrook gave East Hampton that opportunity, and it delivered in a big way. Let’s just say it was a very good Friday.

The hits came early and often for the Bellringers, who struck for two runs in the first inning against Rams senior Nick DePalermo and then blew the game open in the third for a 13-2 victory.

The significance of the victory was not lost on East Hampton coach Scott Wosleger, who has watched his team pass most early-season tests and evolve basically with each game.

“I felt like we have gradually tested ourselves. [Wednesday] against Coginchaug, one of the best pitchers in the league, and then here,” Wosleger said. “I knew we were going to come down here and have our hands full, but we had them scouted. We knew what they did well. They feast on fastballs and we knew that. If they were going to beat us, it was going to be by hitting curveballs or hitting offspeed stuff. Al [Iannone] did a good job of getting ahead with the second and third pitches, and then we could mix in the fastball.”

Austin Wosleger got things started in the first with a one-out single and was followed by Spencer Daly’s single. Both later scored on RBI singles by Adam Michaud and Brian Roberson.

The quick start gave East Hampton an edge, and not just on the scoreboard.

“It was important,” Scott Wosleger said. “They’re tough at this field for us. When we jumped out, I think it was a good thing. I think we had a lot of confidence and then we tweaked the pitching plan a little bit more.

“Jumping out early was huge.”

Spotted a two-run cushion, Iannone took the mound but quickly ran into trouble. Facing a two-out, bases loaded jam, Iannone got John McElhone to fly out to center to end the threat. It was the first of two bases-loaded situations that Iannone would have to wiggle out of.

The Bellringers made their statement in the third with six consecutive hits to start the inning and getting 10 hits overall as 11 runs would score. Wosleger (3-for-4), Daly (3-for-4), Iannone and Roberson (3-for-4) had two hits in the inning. Marvin Gorgas, who had three extra-base hits in the game, added a two-run triple. It was the third time in four games East Hampton has batted through the order in one inning en route to victories by double-digit runs.

“They’re loose guys at the plate and every guy has a plan at the plate,” Scott Wosleger said. “For the most part, we don’t chase bad pitches. We don’t swing at offspeed stuff early in the count, usually. I think being a loose bunch helps them and they know their plan.”

The 13-0 lead was plenty for Iannone (3-0), who loaded the bases again in the third, but escaped. He allowed two runs in the fifth before giving way to Austin Shumbo, who pitched the rest of the way for East Hampton’s fifth consecutive victory. Old Saybrook dropped to 6-2.

“They’re doing what we’re asking them to do so far,” Wosleger said. “They’re working hard. Hopefully they can keep it rolling. The big thing for us [Friday] was we saw that Shumbo can come in, he’s really stepped up, he can come in and be another relief option for us.”

East Hampton will have little time to savor the victory. North Branford, unbeaten in league play, visits on Monday. Based on the strong start by Michaud, who pitched into the seventh inning in a 3-0 victory on Wednesday, Wosleger is leaning toward giving the junior his second start.

“When Michaud started the other day against Coginchaug and looked so strong and went the whole way, I think he stepped up and wanted to grab the No. 2 spot,” Wosleger said.

The game Monday is at 3:45 p.m. at East Hampton High School.