“Nothing is easy,” said Neron, even after his team put 14 runs on the board against rival Brunswick at Edwards Field in the opener of a steamy Saturday Zone III American Legion doubleheader.
Four times, Brunswick faced 10- run deficits against fast-starting Smith-Tobey, which jumped on top 5- 0 in the first inning, led 10-0 in the third, 11-1 in the fourth, 12-2 in the fifth and 14-4 in the sixth. But, the hosts never quit before eventually falling 14-10 in a three-hour affair.
Brunswick came back in the nightcap to post a 3-0 verdict.
“It shows a lot about them, being down 10 runs all those times and not giving up, but we grinded it out and were able to come away with a big win,” said Neron.
Brunswick outhit Smith-Tobey 15- 7, but nine errors led to seven unearned runs, while eight walks put runners on for Zach Groat and Wade Hunt, who combined on six RBIs.
“I was timing it up, and he was throwing a first-pitch fastball and I was able to jump on it,” said Groat after ripping a double off the top of the left-field fence in the first for two RBIs and later tripling in two more with a drive that glanced off hustling Brunswick right fielder Ryan Maciejewski’s glove.
Hunt added a long two-run double in the second.
“Wade struggled a lot during the high school season, but has come around and is hitting the ball well this summer,” said Groat.
Quick start
Brunswick starting pitcher Ryan Salerno struggled with control out of the gate. The sprinklers at Edwards Field were left on for a long period of time prior to the game, making the mound a muddy mess. After a walk to lead-off hitter Torrey Charnock, Joey Van Note bunted, with Salerno slipping to the ground on the throw to put two runners on.
After the maintenance crew fixed the mound situation, Groat turned on an inside fastball for a two-run double. An error and a walk loaded the bases, with Aaron Barrett picking up an RBI with a sacrifice fly, and a two runs more coming home on a second Brunswick miscue for a 5-0 lead for the visitors.
Smith-Tobey starting pitcher Trent Moore pitched out of trouble
Hunt’s two-run double highlighted the second inning, while Groat’s two-run triple capped the third for a 10-0 Smith-Tobey lead. The top four in the Smith-Tobey lineup — Charnock (1-for-1, three walks, double, four runs scored), Van Note (1- for-4, two runs scored, RBI), Groat (2-for-4, four RBIs) and Hunt (1-for-4, two RBIs) — combined to score eight runs and drive in eight more.
“They have been carrying us, with most of our wins coming from that part of the lineup, knowing that when they go, we go,” said Neron.
Brunswick’s top four were solid as well, with Zach Lavoie, Luke Carter, Salerno and Trent Anderson combining for 10 hits. Carter’s lone hit was a big one, a long drive to right field for a home run to lead off the fifth.
Charnock relieved Moore (fourplus innings, five walks, eight hits, four runs) and struck out the side to keep Smith-Tobey in control, 12-4, and his teammates tacked on two more runs in the sixth for a 14-4 advantage.
“One of biggest things is mentally needing to come to the field ready to play, and hitting the ball is the biggest thing for us, knowing that the games we have lost are when we haven’t hit,” said Groat.
Brunswick made things interesting in the final two frames, scoring four runs in the sixth and two more in the seventh. Salerno, who was 3- for-3, drove in a run, while Garrett Erb’s two-run single highlighted the Brunswick sixth, while Salerno drove in a pair in the seventh to bring the hosts to 14-10.
But, Charnock (three innings, five strikeouts, one walk, seven hits) closed things out for the save.
SMITH- TOBEY 0
BRUNSWICK 3
In the nightcap, John Parker tossed a complete-game, one-hitter to lead Brunswick, which scored all three runs in the first inning.
Parker struck out five and walked five, while allowing only a fourthinning single to Chris Paulus. “We just couldn’t hit him,” said Neron.
Both teams are now 7-8 with Smith-Tobey scheduled to host Pastime of Lewiston on Tuesday and Brunswick set to visit Smith-Tobey again on Thursday.
Smith-Tobey also has a change in the schedule. S-T was originally set to host Andy Valley on Saturday, but Kelley Field is unavailable so the Bath team will entertain Andy Valley on Friday for a nine-inning clash.
In the first inning, Brunswick’s Luke Carter singled, Salerno walked and Trent Anderson singled to load the base and set up a bases-clearing triple in the right-center gap by Erb.
Brunswick threatened again in the second inning when Brady Larson and Jesse Bennett each singled before Smith-Tobey pitcher Ryan Lathrop got out of the jam on a nice Tyler Rose-to-Groat-to-Nick Karkos double play.
Lathrop wound up allowing five hits with a walk and two strikeouts, and he retired the last 10 batters he faced.
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