Sports

Oliver Ames Baseball Team Edges Pembroke in Extra Innings

Oliver Ames' Andrew Mancini singled in the bottom of the night to give the Tigers a 5-4 win over Pembroke in the Division 1 South first round match-up Friday at Frothingham Park.

 

It would have been hard to top the day Andrew Mancinii had for the Oliver Ames baseball team Friday afternoon.

For evidence, consider these three-plays.

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He hit a three-run homer to right-center in the first inning against Pembroke High at Frothingham Park.

With the leading run on third base in the top of the sevenh inning and the score tied at three, Mancini caught a fly ball in right field and then fired a strike to home plate for the double play to end the inning.

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In the bottom of the ninth inning, Mancini ripped a high fast ball from Pembroke pitcher Lucas Nagle into right field, scoring David McKinnon with the winning run as the Tigers defeated the Titans, 5-4, ending a three year first round tournament losing streak. The Tigers (13-8) will now move on to play at Hingham (15-3), Monday afternoon in the Division 2 South quarterfinals at 4 p.m.

"I was just thinking about getting a base hit," said Mancini of the final at bat. "I got a fast ball uo in the middle of the plate. This was a great win."

The two schools also played a memorable football playoff game last fall with the Tigers winning to go to the Super Bowl at Gillette Stadium,

McKinnon drew a walk in the bottom of the night and then went to second base in a rundown that result in the first out of the inning. The junior captain then made a heads up when Matt Harding's foul ball was caught right into front of the OA bench. MacKinnon, who ended up being the winning pitcher, tagged up and ran to third base.

"MacKinnon has great baseball knowledge," said Duggan. "He knew they had to make the perfect play to get him."

That left the game-winning heroics up to Mancini

"Andrew came up big for us at the end," said OA head coach Leo Duggan.

In the first inning, Mancini hit a shot to right fielder that went by the diving outfielder, allowing MacKinnon and Harding to score in front of him for a quick 3-0 lead.

After putting together three straight singles off of OA starter David Holmes, the Titans were able to get one run on the board on a single by Alec Frizzell, who went 2 for 4.

While Holmes and Nagle battled through early part of the game, Pembroke was able to tie the game in the top of the fourth inning. Evan Morris drew a ealk and then scored on a single by Cory Benson. With the No. 9 hitter Ryan Twigg up, the Titans went for a squeeze play, scoring Frizzell with the typing run. Benson didn't stop at third base and tried to race home from second, but was thrown out at the plate to end the inning.

"That's the old Massasoit (Community College) player where the runner just keeps going," said Duggan.

An infield error allowed the Titans to take a 4-3 lead into the top of the fifth inning as Steve Gerhart scored after reaching on a single.

OA left fielder Brad Fleming struck out the first two times against Nagle, but in the bottom of the sixth inning, he drilled a shot to left center, which went for a homer, tying the score at four.

Pembroke was able to get two runners on in the top of the ninth inning as Duggan elected to give Nagle an international walk.

"I wasn't going to let him beat us," said the OA coach. "He pitched a great game."

Mackinnon got a ground out to short to get out the jam. That allow Mancini to come up the big hit.

"This was a great high school baseball game," said Duggan. "I'm glad we are getting out of the first round."


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