Arlington Legion Loses Five-Run Lead

The Arlington Legion baseball team had a comfortable 7-2 lead Tuesday at Natick heading into the fifth inning, but a pesky Natick squad chipped away, tying the game in the sixth and eventually winning it 8-7 on a walk-off single in the bottom of the seventh.

Arlington reliever Sean Gustin, of the Belmont Hill School, came in to squash a three-run, sixth-inning rally, striking out the first batter he faced to end the inning with two runners in scoring position.

In the seventh, he retired the first two batters in order before giving up an infield single to Natick's Chris Hudson. With an 0-2 count on Natick's catcher, Pat Grady, Hudson stole second and then advanced to third base on an errant throw. On the next pitch, Grady ended the game, batting in Hudson on a single to right field.

Arlington coach Joe Sancinito, who's an assistant on Arlington High's varsity squad in the spring, said it's going to take a few games for his team to gel.

"We just played our first game on Saturday," he said. "I'm still getting to know the guys; they're still getting to know each other."

Arlington (1-1) beat North Chelmsford at home 6-5 on Saturday.

Down 2-0 on Tuesday, Arlington's bats came alive in the second inning.

After a lead-off double by center fielder Alex Finigan and a walk by catcher Rob Shea, second baseman David Cunningham, of the Belmont Hill School, hit an RBI single, scoring Finigan, his high school teammate. Two batters later, right fielder Tim Barnicle, also of the Belmont Hill School, put Shea across on a groundout to tie the game 2-2. Cunningham then scored from third on a wild pitch to give his team a one-run lead.

Arlington got four more runs in the fourth inning, as the team sent nine batters to the plate.

With runners on first and third, left fielder Mitch Coiley, who drew a lead-off walk, scored on a double steal to make it 4-2. Gustin, who started the game at third base, and Finigan then hit RBI singles, putting Arlington ahead 6-2. Finally, first baseman Dan Csaplar scored from third on a passed ball, giving his team a five-run lead.

"Our offense is looking really strong so far," Sancinito said.

Starting pitcher Dave Mazza, of the Belmont Hill School, kept Natick at bay with good off-speed stuff and a nasty pick-off move to first base, which recorded two outs. The lefty hurler gave up seven runs, five earned, in 5.2 innings of work. He was pulled after allowing four consecutive hits and three runs with two outs in the bottom of the sixth.

Natick is coached by Bill Flutie, brother of the legendary Boston sports figure Doug Flutie, a former Natick High School quarterback. Doug Flutie is listed as an assistant coach on the team's official roster, but he did not attend Tuesday's game.