Trojans Lose Another Close One

The Arlington Trojans were once again able to bring the tying run to the plate in their final at bats against one of the top teams in the Intercity League, but, for the second straight time they failed to convert.

The Trojans (4-12), doomed again by just one bad inning, lost 6-4 at the Wakefield Merchants (11-5) Wednesday night.

Arlington coach Joe Hart said he thought Wakefield's second baseman, Alex LiDonni, was the difference.

"He made a number of great plays," Hart said. "If some of those balls up the middle made it through, it might've been a different game."

Wakefield's Dale Crispin and Cameron Kneeland had back-to-back two RBI doubles to give the Merchants four runs in the bottom of the fourth inning, putting them up 6-1.

In their last game, the Trojans had the tying run at the plate in the seventh inning against the Lexington Blue Sox (11-4), the league's top team, but failed to execute, ultimately losing 5-1. In that game, they gave up the four deciding runs in the sixth inning.

On Wednesday, Arlington did bounce back after the tough fourth inning.

Center fielder Derek Migrants hit in catcher Nick Roberts in the fifth inning to make it 6-2. Then, in the sixth inning, first baseman Kevin Hart scored on a passed ball and Ed McDonald hit an RBI single, making the final 6-4.

Hart, who had an RBI single in the first inning, represented the tying run in the seventh inning. With one out and a runner on first, he crushed a ball down the right field line, but it just went foul. He eventually struck out against Wakefield's James Ramsey, who pitched a complete game for the win.

Jordan Dean started for the Trojans and gave up six runs in four innings of work.

Dean and fellow pitcher Sean Fream, both Georgia natives, pitch for Division I Kennesaw State University in Georgia. They'll both leave the team to head back down south after Fream's start against the Blue Sox on Sunday.

Reliever Joe Wesoloski, an Arlington native who pitches for Worcester Polytechnic Institute, will move into a starting role for the team's next game, taking the hill against the Andre Chiefs (12-4-1) at 7 p.m., Friday at Arlington's Summer Street Field.