Sabers Drop Playoff Game

By William Dodd

The Souhegan High School baseball team traveled to Manchester (and St Anselm College) to play the fourth seeded Goffstown Grizzlies in the preliminary round of the Division II play-offs. The contest was highly contested from Goffstown's Tyler Barss first pitch of the game until Eric Howard's final pitch in the bottom of the seventh.

Goffstown scored an unearned run in the bottom of the 3rd as Adam Routhier singled home Kyle Indingaro with two outs in the third to give Goffstown a 1 to 0 lead.

In the top of the fourth, Bobby Graham walked and Robby McCormick's single put runners on first and third. Seth Learned walked, and with two outs Tyler Ford single plated two runs and Souhegan led 2 to 1.

Goffstown scored two unearned runs in the bottom of the sixth to take a 3 to 2 lead.

Trailing by 1, the Sabers rallied in the top of the seventh as Tyrell Torres walked and moved to second and third on a pair of wild pitches. An Eric Howard single, with two outs, knotted the score at 3 to 3.

Goffstown combined a hit batter and an air of sacrifice (fielder choice) bunts to load the bases, and with no outs Chris Garrison provided the winning runs with a walk off home run over the left field field.

Eric Howard pitched 6 innings, struck out 7 and walked 3 in an outstanding pitching performance for Souhegan.

The Souhegan defense was led by the play of Tyler Ford, shortstop, and Robby McCormick, right fielder.

Congratulations to the Souhegan Seniors who had an outstanding and very exicting season. Thank you to Tim Beliveau, Chris Chininis, Danny Conroy, Terry Dugdale, Robert Graham, Tyler Hansis, Eric Howard, Robby McCormick and Brandon O'Connell.