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Prep falls to B.C. High for fourth straight setback

Thursday, May, 01 By Jean DePlacido
Correspondent

DANVERS | There may still be four weeks remaining in the regular season, but for the St. John's Prep baseball team it's crunch time starting now.

The Eagles lost their fourth straight game yesterday, dropping a 5-4 setback to Catholic Conference rival B.C. High at Gibbons Memorial Field. The Prep has been outscored, 28-14, during this four-game skid and finds itself 6-5 on the season, including just 1-3 in league play.

"This was a winnable game, but we gave it away with one bad inning," said Prep head coach Pat Yanchus, allowing to the top of the third inning, when the visitors scored three times to take a 5-1 lead | one they would not relinquish.

"The kids played hard, but we have to find a way to stop the slide | and we have to do it right away. We need to find a way to win close games like this to get into the tournament."

In that fateful third inning, B.C. High capitalized on two walks, an infield hit, an error, and a two-out, two-run single by catcher Tom Conley, who drove in three runs on the day.

"That (hit by Conley) was a killer, especially since I thought we had him struck out on the pitch before that," said Yanchus. "We didn't get the call, then he got that clutch hit."

Prep starter Jordan Edgett breezed through the first two innings and took a one-run lead into the third, thanks to a Chris Carmain RBI single that scored Dan Haugh, who had doubled.

But the bottom of the order got things going for B.C. High (8-3 overall, 1-3 CC) in the third when Bill Kiley led off with a single and No. 9 batter Tom Chase walked. Conley's infield hit knocked in a run, and Jim Albano ripped out up the middle to plate another for a 2-1 lead.

"In both the third and fourth innings we put our guys on base in motion to make the Prep work, and it paid off," said BC coach Norm Walsh. "Conley is a four-year player for us; the best hitter on our team. Right now he is hitting over . 500 and consistently comes up with a couple of hits every game. He's a big-time player and came through once again."

While the visitors chipped away at Edgett (5 R in 4 IP), Scott Warwick threw heat for B.C. High. before tiring in the seventh after throwing 117 pitches. He gave way to reliever Rick Gilbody with one down and the bases loaded in the seventh after walking Derek Coppola to force in a run for the Prep.

St. John's cut the deficit to one run on Chris Welch's shot to third base, but Albano tagged the runner going to third for the second out and pinch hitter Kyle Pettoruto's line drive was snared by second baseman Chase to end the game.

"Whew," said Walsh with a big smile on his face when asked about the final play. "We managed to keep the Prep in this game. We had opportunities to put them away, but didn't do it. Luckily, we made that last one."

Carmain led the Eagles with three hits while Edgett and Trevor Manzi each had a pair. But Warwick was aided by four pop ups as the Eagles stranded nine.

"It's tough losing four games like this, but we can turn things around," said Coppola. "We have two big league games next week (Xaverian and Catholic Memorial). As long as we swing the bats well and play defense, we can make a good run."