Danvers was handed their first loss of the year after Marblehead’s Danny Colbert sprinted home on a passed ball in the bottom of the 11th inning Wednesday, sealing a thrilling 3-2 extra-inning win.
Colbert retired the Falcons 1-2-3 in the top of the 11th inning, after Danvers had forced extra baseball with a run in the top of the seventh to tie it at two.
The win moves the Headers to 4-1 on the season, identical to the Falcons’ mark of 4-1, in Northeastern Conference play. Marblehead's only loss in 2011 came against the Gloucester Fishermen.
Coach Jason Tarasuik called the win “the best game we’ve had since I’ve been coaching at Marblehead High.”
Each team struggled mightily for hits all morning, through the regular seven innings and into the extra frames. Danvers had scratched out four hits over 11 innings; the Headers had five hits on the day.
Colbert led off the 11th with a single, stole second and went to third on a wild pitch by lefty Ray Arocho, the third Falcon pitcher of the game. Arocho’s next pitched skipped by catcher Joe Strangie and hit the backstop while Colbert sprinted home with the deciding run.
Marblehead scored first in their first turn at bat when Ben Koopman smoked a double down the third base line. Ben Quigley, who was on after being hit by a pitch, came home to put the Headers on top early.
With Quigley on base again in the third after being plunked by Falcon starter Scott Hovey, the junior outfielder took second on a bad pick off throw and came home on an infield error to put the Headers up 2-0 after three.
Header starter Ryan Stanojev mowed down the Falcons until the sixth when three walks and a fielder’s choice plated Arocho, to cut the Marblehead lead in half.
Tarasuik lifted Stanojev in the seventh in favor of Ross Gienieczko, who punched out A. J. Cuoto and Strangie before he ran into trouble. Two walks and a single by Falcon Zach Ryan and the score was tied at 2 after six and a half.
Colbert’s single was the only hit after the seventh inning by either team. Colbert, Stanojev and Gienienczko shut the door for the Headers, while Danvers got strong pitching from Hovey and Arocho.
“It was a tough way to lose, absolutely,” Danvers coach Roger day said. “Both teams had several opportunities to win the game, that’s for sure.”
“We played hard, that’s great team over there, we’re very happy to get this win,” Tarasuik said.
Koopman, Casey Stead, and Jake Kulevich each had a hit for the Headers, while Colbert banged out a fourth inning double to go with his single.
Nick Gikas, Arocho, Hovey and Ryan had the hits for Danvers.
The Falcons played in the Spring Break Panther Classic tournament today (Thursday) and then head up to Gloucester to take on the Fishermen Monday (4 p.m.).
