Avengers Stay Alive to Force Game 2 Against Cranston East

The EG varsity baseball team traveled to Cranston Stadium Saturday in a win-or-go-home scenario like their previous two playoff games and they delivered under pressure once again with a 12-5 victory over Cranston East.

With the win the Avengers face off against Cranston East again tomorrow at 2pm at home. The winner of tomorrow's game will advance to the state semifinals, one step closer to playing at McCoy Stadium.

The game was scoreless for the first couple innings of play until Cranston East got on the board first with three runs off of a few hard hits. The top of the third inning the Avengers began showing sparks of their offensive power when sophomore Jeremy Streich drove in two runs with a triple to make the score 3-2. Cranston East responded with a couple more runs in the second half of the inning to make the score 5-2 in their favor. 

The Avenger bats then shined the next inning with the top of the order up in hopes of coming back. Leadoff hitter Jonny Lamendola got on base with a single to start the rally off, then Scott Cullinane got a hit, followed by another hit by David Hopkins. With the bases loaded Dan Caron then drove in Lamendola and for the rest of the inning the Avengers kept driving in runs with the bases loaded.

Leading 7-5, the Avengers scored a couple more insurance runs in the next inning. On the day every Avenger starter contributed with at least one hit.

Ryan Pieroni pitched a solid complete game on the mound while helping out his own cause with three hits and two RBIs.

"He kept it low and away and had really good command of his off speed stuff," junior catcher Scott Cullinane noted after the game of Ryan Pieroni's performance on the mound; Cullinane had one hit and a run on the day. 

"Knowing that today could have been our last game as a team fueled our fire, we didn't want to say goodbye to the team," said Pieroni afterwards. That mentality has been working for the Avengers all week with must-win victories over Lincoln, St. Rays, and now Cranston East.

First baseman Dan Caron sealed the deal for the Avengers with a top of the seventh three-run homer over the left field fence to make the final score 12-5. 

Pieroni closed out the game in the bottom of the seventh to finish off his complete game and save other Avenger pitchers arms for future playoff games. Tomorrow EG will play against Cranston East with another must-win game at 2PM at home.

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