Wilton Baseball Holds Off Warde, 5-4

After scoring 21 runs in the season opener, Wilton's bats were relatively quiet Friday. Still, the Warriors found a way to eke out a 5-4 victory over Warde despite stranding 10 runners.

Pinch runner Clay Helms scored the tie-breaking run on a throwing error in the bottom of the sixth and Austin Gambee worked in and out of a jam in the seventh for Wilton, which was coming off a 21-5 drubbing of Weston on Wednesday.

Friday was a grind, as the Warriors failed to take advantage of numerous opportunities. They left the bases loaded in the first two innings and again in the sixth after taking the lead.

In the fifth, the Warriors put runners on first and second with one out, only to have Carey Fechter line into an inning-ending double play.

Gambee, who relieved starter Jack Palumbo, got the win, allowing one run and three hits over two innings. Palumbo surrendered three runs - only one earned - and four hits over five innings.

Warde grabbed a 4-3 lead in the top of the sixth, as Dan Warren reached on a one-out single and eventually scored on John Gallucci's two-out RBI single.  But the Warriors scratched and clawed for a pair in the bottom half.

Gambee led off with a single, moved up on Kevin O'Connell's sacrifice and took third on a double by Aaron Shapiro that was misplayed in right field. Helms went in to run for Shapiro, and Nick Squire replaced Warde starter and loser Conner Sullivan.

After Mike DeSantis walked to load the bases, Wilton coach Tim Eagen was looking for a big hit. He didn't get it, but Kurt Marut's slow roller to the right side of the infield plated the tying run.

After pitching around designated hitter Mike Dipilato, who had two home runs and six RBI in his first varsity start against Weston,  Sullivan appeared to get out of the inning, inducing Ryan Phillips to ground to third. But Eric Burns' throw was low and could not be handled at first, allowing Helms to score.

Gambee got the first two batters in the seventh, but Trevor Doherty reached on an infield single and Burns was hit in the head, forcing the Mustangs' dazed third baseman to leave the game.

Gambee, however, bore down to strike out Joey Kaithen and end the game.

While Wilton grabbed a 2-0 lead on Matt Baird's RBI single in the first and a wild pitch in the second and they could have had more.

The Warriors ran themselves out of a potentially big inning in the first. With runners on the corners and no outs, DeSantis stole second as Dipilato struck out, but Shapiro was doubled off third.

The Warriors' inability to cash in runs came back to hurt them, as Warde scored three times in the third, taking a 3-2 lead on Warren's RBI single.

Wilton tied in the bottom half without the benefit of a hit, as Fechter reached on a three-base error and raced home on a  wild pitch.

Sullivan surrendered five runs -- three earned - and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings.

Warde starting center fielder Ryan Blinderman left the game in the second with a broken hand.