Watertown Baseball Team Holds on for a 3-2 Victory over Woburn

Some clutch hitting and a complete game by pitcher Brian Cristello added up to a win for the Watertown High School baseball team in the Friday morning match up with Woburn.

The game, which was played at Belmont High School due to the renovation of Victory Field, remained scoreless through three-and-a-half innings, but the Raiders got on the board when first baseman Timmy Geagan hit a drive to right-center.

"We had some timely hitting, I thought that was big," said Watertown head coach Joe Chiodo. "Timmy had a big triple."

Geagan then came home when the umpire called a balk on Woburn pitcher David Pratt.

Despite the misstep, Woburn head coach Wayne Pandolph said he was pleased with the sophomore, who was making his first start.

"He did a good job for us," Pandolph said. "He kept us in the game."

The Tanners struck back in the top of the fifth, when they rallied with three hits tie the score at two. Woburn looked like they could have scored more, but the Raiders cut down a base runner trying to advance from second to third with one out.

Pitcher Brian Cristello got out of the fifth and wound up with a complete game.

"He threw strikes," Chiodo said. "There was never a spot when I was nervous."

The Raiders went back to work in their half of the fifth. Center fielder Greg Geagan led off with a double. He was driven home on a hit by shortstop Dan Renzella.

The Raiders threatened to score more runs, but Pratt got out of the inning and Watertown stranded runners on second and third.

Watertown had runners in scoring position again in the sixth inning, but Woburn tagged out a Raider who tried to score from third on a wild pitch.

Cristello closed the game allowing only a walk in the sixth and an infield hit in the seventh. The Raiders improved to 2-3.

Pandolph said he thought both squads played well, but his team just made a few mistakes and the Tanners dropped to 1-5.

"We continue to make mistakes that cost us games," Pandolph said. "It has been the same thing, we have been in there, kids have been battling, but we keep making little mistakes."

The Raiders will be back in action Saturday morning at 10 a.m. at Lexington, weather permitting.