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Sports

Bulldogs Explode Late in Win over the Americans, 8-5

Locals Halsey and Strukel make big contributions in victory

Reading (8) – B. Flutie  3-1, Cataldo 4-2,  Manzi 4-2, Buitkus 3-1, O’Leary 4-1, Hartwell 4-2, Halsey 3-1, Strukel 1-0,  Dellorfon 2-0   Totals 28-10 

Medford (5) – Nixon 5-2, Polanco 4-2, McConnville 2-0, Sheehan 3-1, Ohanesian 2-0, Azzarello 2-0, Kalfopoulos 2-0, Gunn 3-1, Rufo 4-1, K. Burgoyne 4-0, Totals 31-7 

Doubles – Manzi (2), Flutie, Sheehan

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Triples- Halsey 

WP-   Eisenberg (2-1)   LP-    Walsh       (2-3) 

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Reading       1100033     8  10 4

Medford       0200003     5   7  3

 

Wrap: 

The Bulldogs returned to Medford for a second straight evening, this time to play the Americans, and came away with a 8-5 victory buoyed by some late hitting and a clutch fielding play. 

The game was shaping up as a pitchers duel after five innings as Brian Millea and Dan Eisenberg for Reading and Dan Walsh for Medford allowed limited hits and just two runs per side. 

The pivotal moments of the game occurred in the sixth as the Bulldogs struck for three runs with two outs, and Medford mounted its own threat in the bottom of the inning. 

Trevor Manzi started things off with the first of his two doubles and, after he was sacrificed to third base, Kevin O’Leary reached on an infield hit and stole second. Walsh then induced an infield out and the runners were unable to advance. 

John Halsey then stepped up with two outs and hit a line drive to centerfield that rolled all the way to the fence resulting in a two run triple. Halsey eventually scored on a double steal giving the Bulldogs a 5-2 advantage. 

In the bottom of the sixth, with two runners on and two out, Joe Sheehan hit a double to right center scoring one runner, and a second runner attempted to score. The relay throw from Brett Flutie to catcher Derek Strukel was high and offline but Strukel leapt in the air to snag it and came down with the tag as the Medford runner attempted to bowl him over, ending the inning. 

“John’s hit and Derek’s catch and tag at the plate were the difference makers tonight” said Coach Morrison. “John had a couple of nice swings tonight which is good to see and Derek’s play was extremely athletic for a catcher and makes us look smart for picking him up last week”. 

In the seventh, the Bulldogs tacked on three insurance runs. Doubles by Flutie and Manzi and a two run single by Steve Buitkus ended up being critical on a night where the players were feeling the heat in the late innings. 

“All the credit to the pitchers tonight on both sides” said Morrison. “Walsh pitched the whole way for Medford and showed a lot of stamina and heart. Our guys split the game but it was still a tough night to be on the hill”. 

The Americans did not go quietly in the last inning scoring two runs as the Bulldogs helped them along with three errors before Eisenberg finished off his second victory in five days. 

“ I was having flashbacks to last night with the infield play in the seventh” said Morrison, “ but we also made some nice fielding plays tonight especially O’Leary at first base”. 

“We have another three games this week and they are all big if we want a playoff slot. I like what I am seeing now with the bats and the number of different guys that are contributing each night. We have a lot of depth and it’s starting to show through in the “game every night” stretch that teams get into in this league” said Morrison.

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