Cranston West Varsity Baseball: Falcons Win Game 2

With a chance to capture the Interscholastic League’s ultimate prize, the North Kingstown Skippers jumped out to a 1-0 lead June 7 at McCoy Stadium, but the Cranston West Falcons bounced back with two runs in the first inning, four in the second and eight more in the third en route to a 17-13 victory.

Tuesday’s 30-run slugfest featured four home runs, including a three-run bomb from Cranston West’s Matt Pagano. The senior also walked and scored in a first inning encompassing seven walks, three runs—two for the Falcons—and zero hits.

“We didn’t have a ton of hits early, but they had trouble finding the strike zone, and that helped us,” said Cranston West head coach Rob Malo. “Putting extra guys on the bases…teams are going to make you pay for it, and we have the bats to do that.”

Mike Hayden added a two-run blast to help the Falcons establish a 12-run lead in the third inning, and Jeff Diehl chipped in with a two-run shot in the sixth, consummating for Cranston West.

“I got drafted in the 22^nd round by the New York Mets,” Diehl said, after the game. “I can’t put it into words how I felt when my dad came down and told me I was drafted.”

Andrew Berlinsky homered in the loss for North Kingstown. His fourth-inning round-tripper cut the Skippers deficit to four, but the Falcons withstood the rally and held on to win Game 2.

The Skippers took Game 1 Monday, and they hoped to end the series and secure a D-I title with another victory Tuesday. Instead, they will return to Pawtucket Wednesday for a decisive Game 3, still seeking that elusive crown.

“It’s been a good group, they’ve worked hard, and we’re going to try to go get them tomorrow,” said North Kingstown head coach Kevin Gormley.

“We’ve shown grit all year long. These kids are going to play to the last out.”