Tuesday, May 12

Gilboy, Owen and Vickers Bulldoze Hard Hats’ Construction Project

Wilkinson Park – Determined to pose a challenge to SBS this time around, Maietta proved that it can manufacture runs as well as homes, jumping out to a 1-0 lead Tuesday night in SPALL action.  Jacob G. singled and stole second before Max C. hit him home in the first.  When SBS returned the favor with three of their own in the bottom half of the frame, Maietta limited the damage as Tyler Gold “Glove”-berg cut down a would be base stealer with room to spare.  Matt C. then took the momentum shift and struck out two wasting two more singles by SBS. 

            If Maietta laid the foundation in the first, they put together the frame in the second as Ian Young reached on a HBP and then showed some grit as he scored on Aidan J.’s single that squirted to deep left.  Fortunately for SBS, Thomas Hodgkins (1-0) played the part of wrecking ball by striking out two and Andrew Roberts came in to finish the clean-up with a strike out of his own. 

            Matt Gilboy, however, made the pivotal play of the game when Maietta came to bat in the third after shutting down SBS in the second.  After a lead-off walk and attempt to advance on a slight bobble, Gilboy threw a laser to Jon Vickers at second –taking the tying run off the bases and giving Roberts one out to work with.  After a strike out, Joseph Grant snagged a hard grounder by Goldberg and calmly threw to Chris Mitchell at first for the third out.

            Leading 4-2 in the fourth, SBS was in a dogfight until Hayden Owen came to the plate.  With a couple infield hits to his name and a few ground outs thanks to stellar defense this season, Owen faced two outs and Xavier Gagne and Michael Kilmartin on second and first respectively.  Down in the count, Owen took a pitch up and away and drove it to the wall in right.  With more speed than Jimmie Johnson after his third cappuccino, Owen raced around the bases for an inside-the-park homer, nearly catching Kilmartin and Gagne in the process, possibly spurred on by the sweet aroma of fries bubbling in the concessions stand’s new fryolater.  Just as satisfying though was SBS’ 7-2 lead – and with half the calories!

            After Roberts and Owen struck out the side in the fifth, Banker “Long Gone” Jon Vickers turned on an inside fastball and deposited it over the right field wall for his first outside-the-park homer of the season.  After Gagne drew a walk to score Roberts, SBS had all the insurance it needed as Owen struck out two in the top of the sixth.  The game came full circle as defensive star Matt Gilboy threw out another potential base stealer to end the game, effectively placing a “No Trespassing” sign on the basepaths and forcing Maietta back to the drawing board.  With fewer errors and a narrower margin this time around, however, Maietta proved that they may have a blueprint for success as the season moves forward.