Pictured: Old Saybrook improved to 9-3 overall after Monday’s win at home over Hale-Ray. (File photo)
Auggie Albert drove in 3 runs and host Old Saybrook overcame a five-error afternoon Monday to beat Hale-Ray 9-8 in a rain-shortened Shoreline Conference baseball game.
Jake Butler got the win in relief as the Rams kept pace with Valley Regional in the race for the top seed in the Shoreline postseason tournament with their ninth win in 12 games. Valley improved to 9-2 Monday with a 13-3 win at Haddam-Killingworth.
The Rams lost leads of 4-2 and 6-4 before scoring three times in their half of the fourth to take a 9-6 lead. Hale-Ray scored twice in the top of the fifth to make it a 9-8 game. Butler got the third out however, and the game was called at that point due to rain and darkness.
Old Saybrook won its third straight following a three-game losing streak.
“We have been preaching all year to make sure we try to remain even keel. The high school season is long with ups and downs,” Rams first-year coach Ryan Fraser said. “We’re just making sure we trust our work at practice and continue to translate it to the games. There are no easy games in the Shoreline Conference.”
Noah Hester’s RBI single in the fourth put the Rams into the lead at 7-6. Albert, who hit a 2-run single in the third inning, also doubled home a run in the fourth.
Connor Lane was 2 for 2 with 2 runs scored and an RBI and leadoff hitter Nick Rothman also had 2 hits, scored a run and drove in one. Nick Scalzo, Ed Devaney and Carson Brown drove in a run each for Old Saybrook.
Miles Gagne led Hale-Ray’s 9-hit attack with 2 hits, including a double, 2 RBIs and 2 runs scored, while Jackson Hill was 2 for 3 with a run and RBI and Austin Sevigny had an RBI triple. Ryan Sikorski, Charlie Gable and Sam Forsyth each drove in a run for the Noises (5-6).
Butler pitched 2 innings in relief of Hester and allowed 4 runs (none earned) on 4 hits and struck out 3. Hester gave up 4 runs (2 earned) on 5 hits in 3 innings, walked 1 and struck out 1.
Hale-Ray starter Nate Wanderman allowed 9 runs (3 earned) in 3 1/3 innings in taking the loss.
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Old Saybrook is scheduled to play three more times this week — Wednesday at Portland, Friday at home against St. Bernard in non-league action, and Saturday at Hale-Ray.
“Just believing in the guys and trusting one another has proven to help us get through the tough stretches and celebrate the great ones,” said Fraser, whose squad already has clinched a spot in the CIAC Class S tournament.
“The guys know that there is a lot more baseball to be played. Qualifying for the state tournament was so rewarding, especially for the seniors (Hester, Scalzo, Butler, Rothman, Brown and Noah Grace). They have been awesome since I have taken over, and to get them back to the tournament and accomplish that feat felt great.”