Things looked bleak. Stricken with two outs and his team trailing Tyngsboro Post 247 by three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, Concord Post 158 infielder Ryan Kelt looked lonely in the batter's box. The count stood 0-2 with runners on first and second base and Concord's best opportunity to strike dangled on an edge.
Kelt dug in and fouled off a fastball. Then another. And another. And another. In the game's most important at-bat Kelt hung on and battled against Tyngsboro pitcher Curtis Hamilton, who, at that point, was cruising to a dominant win. He eventually drew a walk to load the bases and keep the inning alive.
"I don't know how many he had there, but it had to of been a 10-, 12- pitch at bat," Concord head coach John Morrissey said. "It was huge. I tip my hat to him."
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Concord then drew another walk, scored on a fielding error and roped back-to-back RBI base hits to center field, taking its first lead and eventually the game by a score of 7-4 at Emerson Field on Wednesday.
Led from the mound with a solid outing by pitcher Jake Anzer, Concord was able to stay in the ballgame even when things weren't looking hopeful. Anzer went the distance with five strikeouts and no walks while overcoming a fifth inning hiccup.
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"Jake was changing speeds effectively and really kept them off balance," Morrissey said. "He did a great job with his complete-game effort."
Concord (2-5) fell into a hole from the start, allowing an RBI single with two outs in the top of the first, but managed to tie the game in the bottom of the fourth. Infielder Dylan Katz-Wicks lined a double over the left fielder's head and was eventually brought home on a sacrifice fly by catcher Ben Price.
But in the next inning, Concord gave the lead right back. Tyngsboro (2-4) loaded the bases on a couple of base hits to center field and an infield throwing error before Anzer gave up a bases clearing triple to infielder Anthony Powers, making it 4-1.
The game settled down in the next frame before Concord came to bat in the sixth. Infielder Brendan Canavan struck out to lead things off, followed by Price reaching safely on an overthrow by Tyngsboro's third baseman. Outfielder Carlo Del Donno then grounded out to first, advancing Price to scoring position. A line drive to right field by outfielder Pete Castrichini then drove Price in, finally setting up Kelt's game saving at bat.
"It wasn't looking good for sure," Morrissey said. "But we needed it. Real good gut check win."
