Metro Takes Bay State Games Opener 9-6

Fourth of July weekend may have ended Monday, but the fireworks were still on display yesterday afternoon in Metro's Bay State Games opener at Bentley University's Bob DeFelice Stadium, as Metro ripped 10 hits for nine runs to beat West, 9-6.

After falling behind 4-0 in the first inning to the West team, the Metro team, made up of all-stars from high schools in the metro Boston area -- including Lexington High School's Connor and Nick Murray -- cut West's lead to 4-3 in the second inning and pulled away with a five-run fourth inning en route to the win.

"These kids are talented enough that you know they're not going to throw in the towel," Metro manager Steve Freker said. "I told them that they have to play at a high level all the time, and after our defense started a little shaky, that's what happened."

Metro's defense did struggle in the first inning, as West put up four runs on two defensive errors and a three-run home run from leftfielder Steve Moyers.

Perhaps it was a result of the pressure of having college scouts in the crowd, from as close as Tufts University and as far as Southern Maine and St. Johns in New York, or more likely it was a result of the team playing together for the first time.

Regardless, Metro tightened up the screws, and quick.

Catcher Connor Murray had the first RBI, a single up the middle in the top of the second. Three hits and a sac fly later, Metro was only down 4-3.

West added two more runs in the third to make the score 6-3. Then, in the fourth inning, Metro responded again, this time blowing the game wide open.

Boston College High School third baseman Justin Silvestro ripped an RBI double in the right-center gap, scoring shortshop Nick Murray to make the score 6-4. Leftfielder Bartley Regan then hit a 2 RBI single, which Connor Murray followed with an RBI triple.

Saugus' Ken Runge added an RBI single, and in the blink of an eye the score was 8-6 Metro. One inning later Metro tacked on an insurance run to make it 9-6, and after West Roxbury's James Multry pitched a scoreless bottom of the fifth, the game was called at 9-6 due to the two-hour time limit.

Metro continues its tournament tomorrow at 9 a.m against the Northeast. The team hopes to continue gelling, even as they play together in such a short time span.

"It's fun to play with these guys, even if we compete against them during the regular season," Connor Murray said. "They're good kids, and though I felt I could have played better today, I feel good that we were able to get the win."