Belmont Stifled by Malden Ace

The Belmont Senior Babe Ruth team fell 3-0 Tuesday to the Malden Bambinos, as opposing pitcher Paul Yanakopulos struck out 12 at Brendan Grant Memorial Field in Belmont.

Belmont (8-9), playing as the away team, managed only three hits, two by left fielder Anthony Perro, off the hard-throwing right-hander. Meanwhile, two fielding miscues in the fourth inning and another in the fifth spoiled a solid outing by starter Collin McNamara and cost Belmont the game.

"We looked tentative," coach Dan Kelleher said, "in the field and at the plate."

Yanakopulos, a rising senior at Malden Catholic, struck out the side in the third and sixth innings. He appeared to be throwing in the mid-80s and mixed in good off-speed stuff.

He allowed three walks, including two to catcher Michael Vona, who left the game with a hand injury. First baseman Brendan Reilly singled in the fifth inning for Belmont's other hit.

Of all things, a strikeout started Malden's fourth-inning rally.

McNamara blew away center fielder Jeremy Roberts, who led-off the inning, but catcher Eric Griswold, who had just entered the game for Vona, failed to control the ball and then threw it away on the throw to first, allowing Roberts to reach second on the strikeout.

Four batters later, with the bases loaded and one out, Malden's Joe Penta hit a potential double-play ball to second baseman David Sullivan. However, Sullivan dropped the ball when he applied the tag on the runner leaving first base and two crossed the plate.

Malden (16-4) got another unearned run off McNamara in the fifth inning.

Overall, McNamara gave up four hits in six innings of work. He also walked two batters and struck out three.

Belmont returns to action against Cambridge at 7:30 p.m. tonight at St. Peter's Field in Cambridge. Shortstop Evan Nichols is expected to take the mound as Belmont looks to return to the .500 mark.