Tritons hold off Bulldogs 4-3
The Mariner Tritons manufactured four runs in the first inning against Ida Baker Friday night, but cooled off as the game wore on and had to gnaw on a few fingernails to hold on for a 4-3 victory.
“I’m happy with the win, but not happy with our performance,” said Tritons coach Steve Larsen. “I didn’t like our intensity, our inability to make adjustments and inability to step up when the times needed it.”
The game easily could have become a blowout the way the Tritons greeted Bulldogs starting pitcher Sean Brady. The Tritons batted around in the inning and the first five batters all reached base before the first out was recorded.
Leadoff hitter Audry Santana was hit by a pitch and stole second. Brady then walked Walter Cleary and Daniel Alimonti hit a hard smash to right field that was dropped, loading the bases for cleanup hitter Alex Santana. His single plated two runs. With one out, Martin Evans flied out to left field, driving in the third run of the inning. Jason Carmichael’s single plated the fourth run.
The Tritons had runners on second and third in the third inning and did not score, and they left the bases loaded in the sixth.
After the first inning, the Bulldogs spent the rest of the game playing catch-up. They finally got on the board with two two-out runs in the fourth. Kelly Curran doubled to drive in one run and Robbie Pilgrim ripped an RBI single for the other.
“We settled down after the first,” said Bulldogs coach Ryan Jackson. “I’m pleased with the way the guys hung in there. This team will be fighters.”
The outcome came down to the Bulldogs’ final at-bat. With Pilgrim on first and two out, Ryan McDade hit a chopper toward first base that was bobbled. McDade beat the play at first while Pilgrim rounded the bases and scored to make it 4-3.
Mike Gulotta was called out on strikes to end the threat.
Carmichael got the victory on the mound with two innings of relief help from Stanley Padfield. Alimonti finished with two hits for the Tritons (3-0), who host Fort Myers Tuesday.
Brady (1-1) was tagged with the loss with Gulotta pitching the last two innings in relief for the Bulldogs (2-3), who play at North Fort Myers Tuesday.
Mariner 400 000 0 – 4 5 2
Ida Baker 000 200 1 – 3 4 1
W – Jason Carmichael (1-0). L – Sean Brady (1-1).
2B – Kelly Curran (IB).