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- Category: Past Issues
Cougars
take first
game
in Potvin
Tourney
The AAU Cougars beat the East Lyme Vikings 7-4 July 31 at East Lyme High School. The game was tied at 3 in the seventh inning when the Cougars added 4 runs to put the game away.
The Vikings started the scoring in the first with a two-run double. The score remained 2-0 until the top of the fourth inning when the Cougars manufactured a couple of runs. With Cody Mairiano on second base, Will Bourgeois hit a slow roller between the pitcher and first base. As the pitcher fielded the ball to make the play at first, Mairiano never stopped at third and came around to score. Matt Fiedler hit the next pitch into the left-field corner for a triple, and scored on a wild pitch to tie the game.
The Vikings did not take long to answer as they scored a run in the bottom of the fourth to take the lead again. With runners on first and third, the Vikings tried a double steal, which the Cougars were prepared for. Cougars’ catcher Jesse Alexander threw the ball to second-baseman Robert Newton as he cut across the infield. Newton returned the throw to Alexander who was ready to tag out the Vikings’ player. However the one-hopper hit the lip of the grass and bounced 10 feet in the air, allowing the run to score. The Cougars came right back in the top of the fifth inning to tie the score. Tim Cutler walked with one out and Newton doubled him home on the next pitch.
The game remained tied until the seventh inning when the Cougars sent nine players to the plate. Tim Cutler singled to start the inning and Newton reached on a fielder’s choice. Ben Rumrill grounded out to the right side to advance both runners. Mairiano then singled in both runners for the Cougars’ first lead of the game. Alexander followed with a single to put runners on the corners. Bourgeois singled to knock in Mairiano to put the Cougars up by three. Fiedler grounded out but Alexander scored to pad the lead even further. The Vikings scored one last run on a fly ball that was lost in the sun, for a final score of 7-4.
Cutler pitched the first two innings for the Cougars, who are advancing in the winner’s bracket Aug. 2 when the Town Crier had gone to press. Bourgeois pitched the final five innings for the win, striking out six Vikings along the way.