Norton Holds Off Hopkinton Baseball Late Rally

Tuesday afternoon in Norton, Hopkinton staged a seventh-inning rally, scoring two runs and getting the tying run on with two outs before Norton's A.J. Bashaw got an infield grounder to earn Norton a 5-3 Tri-Valley League win.

 “You think you might have a comfortable lead at 5-1,” Norton coach Ted Currle said. “But they have a great coach and kids that fight right to the end.”

In their first meeting this season, Norton saw an 8-4 lead evaporate as the Hillers took a 13-8 victory.

Hopkinton junior starting pitcher Tim Moberg was hit by a line drive Lancer leadoff hitter Christian Delano.  Moberg finished the inning, but that was it for him.

Hopkinton senior captain E.G. McMillan, who began the game behind the plate, pitched the rest of the game, allowing five runs and six hits. McMillan struck out five and walked three.

Junior rightfielder Mike Decina was 2-for-4 for the Hillers with two singles and an RBI. Junior centerfielder Alex Hulme went 1-for-1 with a single, sacrifice fly and two RBI for Hopkinton.

Norton scored first. In the second inning, senior leftfielder Phil Rizzo led with a walk and stole second. He advanced to third on a groundout and scored on an error.

Hopkinton tied  it 1-1 in the top of the fifth. Junior Craig Levergood, who entered the game at catcher in the second, reached on an error. He moved to second on a ground out by senior third baseman Andrew Preite, took third on a wild pitch and scored on Hulme’s single to left.

Norton had four runs in the bottom of the inning.

Catcher Brian Fox led off with an infield single, sophomore third baseman Anthony O’Leary walked and senior captain and shortstop Tom Munger reached on an error to load the bases. Bashaw hit a sharp two-run single to right center to make it 3-1.

After senior designated hitter Mike Twitchell also reached on an error, Rizzo brought home Bashaw with an infield single to push the lead to 4-1. Twitchell scored when junior right fielder Colin Feeney reached first on another miscue to make it 5-1.

Levergood began the Hopkinton seventh with a single to right, moved to second on a passed ball and Preite was hit by a pitch. Two on, no outs.

Norton’s Feeney then made a huge catch, pulling in a long fly ball by Hopkinton senior second baseman Colin Sullivan. Levergood moved to third on the out and scored on a sacrifice by Hulme.

Preite moved to third when senior captain and centerfielder Wesley Erickson reached base on an error. Decina then hit an infield single, making it 5-3.

But Bashaw got sophomore shortstop Ryan Sullivan to hit a grounder to Lancer junior second baseman Nick Stanley, who sprinted to second to force Decina and end the game.

“Norton is a team you always expect to make the plays,” said Hopkinton head coach Mark Stickney. “A.J. is as good a pitcher as we will see this year.”

Norton now faces the Clockers in Ashland and plays at Millis Thursday afternoon.

 Hopkinton hosts Holliston this afternoon at 4:30,  Dover-Sherborn on Thursday at 3:45 p.m., and Bellingham Friday at 3:45.