Rams Score Two in 7th to Defeat Bellringers

After losing its first game of the season, the East Hampton baseball team looked to bounce back against Old Saybrook on Friday.

Instead, the Bellringers followed one late-inning loss with another.

East Hampton rallied for two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to tie the score at 2 only to have Old Saybrook score twice with two out in the top of the seventh for a 4-2 victory.

After winning 15 consecutive games dating to last season, the Bellringers have now lost two in a row for the first time since 2010.

“When you win so many in a row like we did the last couple of years, when you lose two in a row it doesn’t feel good,” East Hampton coach Scott Wosleger said. “It feels like it’s more than it is. So, we got to get them on the right track.”

Old Saybrook manufactured a run in the fourth inning after Justin Beal led off with a walk. The senior came around to score without the benefit of a hit, but with the help of an error.

In the sixth, the Rams threatened to put the game away by loading the bases with none out. Max Alden then followed with a single to make it 2-0.

Bellringers starter Adam Michaud, who had not pitched since April 9, was solid to this point, allowing only two hits heading into the inning. Last year, this might have been a time to bring Marvin Gorgas in to relieve, but the sophomore has been used primarily as a starter this season and threw eight innings on Wednesday. Wosleger, however, was confident in sticking with his ace.

“His velocity was still really good,” Wosleger said of Michaud. “His curveball was still breaking well. He was locating pretty well. His pitch count was down. So we didn’t really feel that we needed to take him out.”

And the senior righthander delivered. Getting the next three batters without any more runs scoring.

Still, the Bellringers had some catching up to do and in the bottom of the inning, they did.

With Nate Heroux (three hits) on third and Gorgas on first, Gorgas attempted to steal second. The throw went into center field allowing Heroux to score, and after the throw home, another throw by the catcher, this time to third, to catch Gorgas bounced into left. Two runs on two errant throws tied the score heading into the seventh.

Unfortunately, the Bellringers could not sustain their new-found momentum.

After Michaud struck out the first two batters, Beal laced a liner that got by Joe Tuxbury in center. Alex Cabral followed with a walk and then Steve Carlson stepped up and came through with the game’s big hit, a two-run triple.

East Hampton (5-2) threatened in the bottom of the seventh by loading the bases with two out, but Gorgas grounded out to end the game.

“I think we lack a little bit of confidence right now,” Wosleger said. “Three days ago we were very confident and for some reason the last couple of days we lost a little bit of confidence and I think that has to do with making some plays. We had a game that’s pitched like that, we got to make plays behind him. They made more plays than we did and that was the difference.”

Chris Liggio pitched a complete game for the Rams (4-4), allowing six hits and striking out six.

Michaud also went the distance, allowing seven hits and striking out nine.

“I thought he did very well,” Wosleger said. “He had a better outing today than he did his last outing. He improved. He threw more strikes. He had good velocity, very good velocity.”

The Bellringers won’t have much time to dwell on the loss, they will be back on the field for a home game against Nonnewaug on Saturday at 11 a.m.

The Chiefs (2-5) are off to a slow start this season after going 15-7 in 2011.

“We’re going to have to scratch and claw [Saturday],” Wosleger said. “I said to them ‘The good news is we get to go at it tomorrow first thing.’”

After two losses and with North Branford, Old Lyme and Haddam-Killingworth looming next week, the Nonnewaug game carries a little more importance than it might have earlier in the week.

"I think it’s pretty big," Wosleger said. "I think we need to prove to ourselves we can bounce back and get a W, get the final result, close the game out. We’ll go after it tomorrow like that."