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KP Baseball Blows 3-0 Lead, Falls To Norton 5-3

The Warriors' held on to a 3-0 lead going into fifth inning but the Lancers prevail with a two run win.

In the end, it came down to that bottom of the fifth inning.

Up 3-0, the KP Warriors (7-13) were only nine outs away from ending their season with a win, but hits and error were their undoing. By the time the inning was over, the Norton Lancers (9-10) led 5-3, which was enough to keep their playoff hopes alive.

“That’s the big one that you can obviously point to. We got lackadaisical offensively in the third and fourth after thet got the three run lead,” King Philip head coach Ed Moran said. “We need to keep pouring it on so if something like that happens we have a cushion.”

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Things looked well initially for the Warriors, when a rattled Lancers pitcher, Brian DiOrio, gave up a bases-loaded walk in the top of the first inning to allow Charlie Harrington to score. Nick Malatesta scored later in the inning off a Matt Aucoin fielder’s choice to increase the lead to two.

After the Warriors scored on a Harrington ground out, Luke Potvin replaced DiOrio with two outs left and bases loaded in the top of the second inning.  Making an impact immediately, Potvin was able to get a ground out at second off a Cam Walsh ground ball to end the jam for the Lancers.

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Later in the bottom of the fifth inning, the Lancers’ rally started with a simple single by Dan Kehoe to start off the inning. Another hit to right field by Corey Marsden gave the Lancers two men on and no outs with the tying run coming to the plate.

“What really got us going was Dan Kehoe with the single going the opposite way and [I] thought Corey Marsden has his best at bat of the year with the base hit to right with two strikes. That got us going,” Lancers head coach Ted Currle said.

The rally continued with bases loaded and one out with Anthony O’Leary at the plate. A huge three-run double by O’Leary tied the game and erased the Warriors' lead.

“That’s what we need our best players to do and he did it,” Currle said of O’Leary’s hit.

A throwing error to first allowed Colin Feeney to reach first and for O’Leary to get home and give the Lancers a 4-3 lead. Another error by the Warriors to first let in another run as Norton left the inning with a two run lead.

With two outs in the top of the seventh inning, Walsh was able to get to first to bring the tying run to the plate. Three pitches later Aucoin was stuck out by Potvin as the Lancers’ playoff hopes remain alive.

Despite a rough fifth inning, James Wallace did everything he could to keep the Lancers off base in his complete-game performance. Usually a relief pitcher, the senior hurler ended his high school career with a chance to start rather than end a game.

“That was his first start as a high school pitcher on the varsity level. He did a fabulous job. I couldn’t have asked for anything more,” Moran said.

While the season is over for the Warriors, the Lancers host Medway on May 25. A win sends the Lancers to the Division 3 tournament, but a loss sends them home for the summer. First pitch is expected to be at 3:45pm.

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