BETHEL – The Telstar Regional High School baseball team paid a hefty price for not taking care of business in a Class C preliminary game Tuesday afternoon.
Mike Grindatti had four hits and Old Orchard Beach capitalized on mistakes en route to an 11-5 upset against the Rebels .
The game began with miscues by both teams, but OOB adjusted, and Telstar continued to shoot itself in the foot.
No. 9 Old Orchard Beach (7-10) advances to play top-ranked Dirigo in a quarterfinal game Thursday. Telstar lost 4-3, walking in the winning run in the seventh inning in Dixfield last month.
“You can’t give up that many runs and still expect to in ball games,” Telstar coach Bob Remington said. “That has been the trouble all season long – we self-destruct.”
No. 8 Telstar concludes its season at 8-7.
OOB took a 10-2 lead in the top of the sixth inning, but Telstar made things interesting by scoring three runs in the bottom of the frame.
Designated hitter Gavin Broomhall smashed a solo home run, and the Rebels finally strung together multiple hits off winning pitcher Kyle Murphy. Kevin Wright and Conrad Blake each doubled, and Mike Fleet hit an RBI-single. Unfortunately, Fleet was thrown out at second base and it derailed the rally.
Five of the first seven OOB runs were unearned, but the fifth inning proved to be the difference. Grindatti (two runs, two RBIs), Don Dutton (three runs), Murphy and Ben Mittchell each reach on errors and scored. Nate Raye drove in the eventual winning run with a bunt.
“Both teams had made mistakes early on,” OOB coach Tom Lachance said. “But our batters stayed aggressive, and we forced Telstar to make some plays. They were not able to and (Mitchell) bunt turned out to be very big.”
Telstar starter Ryan Cross threw into the sixth inning, but the lack of defensive support took its toll. The right-hander gave up seven hits.
The Seagulls kept up the momentum and scored four additional runs in the sixth. Mitchell two RBIs double a the key blow. Telstar had tied the score 2-2, when Ryan Kimball raced-in on Cross’ single. The Rebels left the bases loaded in the third inning. Kimball hit an RBI single in the first.
Murphy picked up the win, after settling down, allowing two hits over the next three innings. “Kyle is a junior and it has been a matter of gaining confidence,” Lachance said “He realized the defense was behind him.
“We’ve made mistakes that have cost us this season.”
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