Bates College Baseball's dramatic rally spoiled by Trinity in extra innings

Senior Berto Diaz went 2-3 and drove in two runs on Friday. (File photo by Josh Kuckens/Bates College)

HARTFORD, Conn. -- The Bates baseball team rallied from five runs down to take the lead but the Trinity College Bantams scored two runs in the bottom of the 10th to prevail 9-8 over the Bobcats Friday afternoon.

Bates (10-14, 2-4, NESCAC) found themselves down 7-2 headed to the top of the sixth inning.
Senior Samuel Warren (Norfolk, Va.) and junior Brendon Canavan (Carlisle, Mass.) got the rally started with back-to-back singles.

Two outs later first-year Joe Dinoto (West Friendship, Md.) singled Warren home. Canavan
advanced to third on the play. Senior Berto Diaz (Carson, Calif.) followed with a single of his own to drive in Canavan. A crucial Trinity error on a ball hit to centerfield off the bat of junior captain Ryan McCarthy (Plaistow, N.H.) allowed two more runs to score, cutting the Trinity lead to 7-6.

The Bobcats tied the game in the eighth. Junior John Dinucci (West Hartford, Conn.) walked and advanced to second on a balk to start the frame. One out later Diaz singled him in to even the game at seven.

In the top of the 10th, Bates took the lead. Dinoto drew a lead-of base-on-balls. Diaz bunted Dinoto to second and first-year Jamie Kennedy (Boston, Mass.) pinch ran for the Bates catcher. McCarthy delivered an RBI single to put Bates on top by a score of 8-7.
The Bates comeback was made possible by the outstanding relief pitching of senior captain Rob DiFranco (Melrose, Mass.)

He entered the game in the bottom of the sixth and worked around a lead-off double to toss a scoreless frame. He navigated around a lead-off hit-by-pitch in the seventh and tossed a 1-2-3 eighth inning. DiFranco proceeded to retire the side in order in the ninth as well.

But with the Bobcats up by one in the bottom of the tenth, a Bates error allowed the Bantams to get a runner on first with one out. After Nick Pezzella stole second, he scored the tying run on a Ben Reinisch RBI single.

Warren entered the game to pitch and Johnny Stamatis singled pinch runner Mackenze Genauer to third. Trinity won the game on a walk-off single off the bat of Daniel Pidgeon.

The Bobcats actually grabbed a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. With one out senior captain Conor Reenstierna (Newton, Mass.) doubled. Junior Brendan Fox (West Hartford, Conn.) singled him to third and Reenstierna scored on a wild pitch. After Warren drew a walk, Canavan bunted in Fox from third to give Bates a 2-0 lead.

But the Bantams tied the game against Bates starter Connor Colombo '16 (Mendon, Mass.) in the bottom of the first. With one away, a hit-by-pitch and a single set up Pidgeon who singled in a run. Another run scored on the play thanks to a Bates error.

Trinity scored three in the third, one in the fourth, and one in the fifth to grab a 7-2 lead before Bates rallied.

McCarthy went 2-5 with three runs batted in and Fox finished the game 3-6 with a run scored. Warren had another good day at the plate, going 2-5 with a double, a run scored and a walk. Diaz tallied a pair of hits and runs batted in to go along with a run scored and a walk. Reenstierna contributed a double, a run scored and a walk.

Bates tallied 12 hits in the game and drew five walks. But their defense made three errors and their pitching staff walked seven batters and surrendered 13 hits to the Bantams.

Recap courtesy of Bates College.