A&S Takes Down Dean’s Bridge with 13-10 Victory
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Summer is here, and Men’s Softball at Reis Park is in midseason form. A&S Softball versus Dean’s Bridge Road, the June 19 game went back and forth, and in the top of seventh, the tying run looked like it was coming to the plate on Brendan Mitchell’s sinking line drive. But on the mound Steve McNamara was happy to do a double take on the drama.
Dan (Brewer) made a great catch,” said the A&S pitcher. “A diving catch to solidify the game.”
13-10 in the end, he praised the overall team effort that began with an easy inning on the field and had the bats start right away. After Tony Linares reached on an error, John McCullough doubled in the first run, and the home team wasn’t done.
Mike Fink and Mario Mancini walked, and the second run in brought up Brewer to do it with the bat. He singled up the middle, and two Bridge errors capped the five run inning off.
Onto the second, Dean’s Bridge stayed up. Pat O’Connor singled, and Mike Mitchell’s bloop behind second looked like the start of a big inning. Instead, Linares was the one who found the sweet spot.
The shortstop ranged back and made the over the shoulder grab. “I just like making spectacular catches,” he said.
Balls right at him are another matter, though. “I can’t make those,” joked Linares.
Even so, his pitcher refused to sell the team’s anchor short. “He’s the captain of this team, and the leader of this brigade,” said McNamara.
Still, a walk by Anthony Castaglione and a single by Vinny Loretoni did get the Bridge on the board. So Brewer flashed his glove and arm. He made a running catch on Joe McCormack’s drive and doubled up Castaglione at second.
Unfortunately, A&S didn’t turn defense into offense in the bottom of the second. After Joe Romano reached on an error, McCullough’s double to left was wasted on a pair of pop outs.
Dean’s Bridge didn’t let the momentum get away either. With two out and two on, Brendan Mitchell doubled, and three errors later, the score was tied at five.
Undeterred, the A&S bats went back to work. Matt Donaldson got an infield hit, Mancini walked and McNamara’ single loaded the bases for Pat Mullins to unload. “I went up there saying, I’m swinging as hard as I can,” said the DH. “I did, and I made it count.”
Over the left fielder’s head, two runs came in, and the 7-5 lead returned the Dean’s Bridge bats to the docket. No answer, A&S continued to put their opponents to the test in the bottom of the fourth.
McCullough doubled with one out, Scott Kellock singled him to third, and Fink added run number eight. An easy slap into center, the third baseman moved to second on Donaldson’s ground ball to the right side. An E4, Kellock scored, and Brewer’s rip down third put A&S up by five again.
Not for long, Dean’s Bridge measured up. After Ryan Jackson walled with one out, Jay Scorrano doubled him in, and the runs weren’t done. Brendan Mitchell walked, Brendan Maloney singled, and an error by Linares made it 10-8.
A Mike Mitchell fly out next, Dean’s Bridge continued with a two out rally. Singles by Castaglione and Loretoni and the score was tied.
A&S’ turn to answer, Mullins passed the first test. He lead off with an infield single, but a ground out and a pop out meant the clutch had to be pulled. No problem, Brewer singled, and McCullough doubled him in.
The one run lead held up in the sixth and A&S added one in the bottom. Fink doubled, Donaldson singled and a dropped ball in left didn’t help the cause of Dean’s Bridge.
Then consecutive singles by Brewer and McNamara made it 13-10, and with the bases loaded and no one out, the game was about to get away. An infield fly by Mullins made sure it didn’t. “I couldn’t go 4-4,” he dropped the mic.
Two quick outs followed and the seventh went by the heroics of Brewer. Mostly old guys schooling a younger team, Fink wasn’t gloating. “We’ll have to see for the 9 O’Clock game,” he jokingly concluded.
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Rich Monetti
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