Barnstable Red Raiders Baseball Clinches Postseason Appearance

Playing just a 16-game schedule this spring, and needing to finish just .500 for the regular season in order to earn a postseason bid, the Barnstable High School Red Raider nine did just that Sunday afternoon at Bridgewater-Raynham High School, defeating the hosts, 4-1.

The victory came in large part to some nifty baserunning, numerous B-R infield miscues and the strong, complete-game pitching performance of junior righty Pete Liimatainen.

Liimatainen ran his record to 3-0 on the season with his seven-inning near gem, as he struck out six and walked just two and allowed just two hits including a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth inning to clean-up hitter Billy Zolga.

But that one pitch was truly the only mistake Liimatainen made on the day and it did not haunt him as Barnstable used some ingenuity and craftiness on the basepaths to manufacture the runs their pitcher needed for the win.

In a scoreless pitchers' duel in the top of the fourth inning, Will Toffey led off the inning with a line-drive single up the middle on a 1-1 count, then was moved to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Dylan Morris. Designated hitter Dan Walsh then hit a hard grounder up the middle but it was snared on a diving grab by the B-R shortstop who kept Toffey in check on third, but on the shortstop's throw to first, the first baseman bobbled it and Walsh was safe. Seeing the ball loose on the ground, Toffey made a bid for home but got caught in a run down for the second out. Walsh adeptly made his way to second base amid the commotion and then reached third base when D.J. Crook reached first on an error by the shortstop. Crook then took off from first on an attempted steal and got caught in a rundown, giving Walsh just enough time to scoot home before the tag was made on Crook for the third out. The end result was a 1-0 Barnstable lead.

The lead was shortlived in the bottom of the fourth inning when with one out (strikeout), Liimatainen offered an 0-2 fastball that Zolga crushed over the fence making it 1-1. Slightly rattled, Liimatainen walked the next batter but calmed down to get two consecutive ground outs to end the inning.

Smelling blood, Barnstable got things rolling in the top of the fifth when Everett Walsh led off with a dribbler down the first base line then beat it out before the first baseman could pick it up. Walsh then stole second and third base and came rambling home when backstop Denny Beynor slammed a 3-2 fastball to rightfield to make it 2-1, Red Raiders. Beynor promptly stole second base, Besse fanned for the first out then Mark Brodd hammered a single to drive in Beynor to make it 3-1. Brodd got nabbed attempting to steal second base and Ty Adams grounded to short to end the threat, but it was all Barnstable would need as Liimatainen found his rhythm and aptly mowed down Trojan after Trojan the rest of the way.

Barnstable picked up an insurance run in the top of the seventh when Crook reached first on another error by the B-R shortstop, stole second base then was moved to third by Walsh. Beynor then turned in a perfectly executed suicide squeeze bunt to bring home Crook for the 4-1 finale.

Barnstable faces Dennis-Yarmouth tomorrow at home, weather permitting.

Contributed by Sean Walsh from Marstons Mills.