GAME 45/46: Bees Split Doubleheader With Rox

Written by: Drew Mals (@MalsDrew & @ _malsmedia_) 

(NEW BRITAIN, CT) – The Bees split a doubleheader with the Brockton Rox, Sunday at New Britain Stadium. 

The Bees drop game one to the Rox, 3-2. The offense was led by Mark Coley (Rhode Island/Bloomfield, CT) who went 3-for-3 with a home run and New Britain’s only two runs batted in. Coley had three of the Bees six total hits in game one. 

Despite a strong outing right-handed pitcher Brian Hart (Stony Brook/Queens, NY) took the game one loss. Hart went four and one-thirds of an inning allowing five-hits, three-runs (two earned), five walks and six strikeouts. 

GAME TWO

Game two didn’t start off any better for the Bees as they faced a 4-0 deficit before they even took their first at-bats of the game. 

The Bees quickly erased that 4-0 lead as they were able to put up three runs in the bottom half of the first. 

New Britain’s first run was scored by Jake Blinstrub (Georgia Southwestern/Peach Tree, GA) who came in on a wild pitch. C.J. Brito-Trinidad (Bowdoin/South Kent, CT) then ripped a double that one hopped the left field wall that scored Mike Torniero (CCSU/East Haven, CT) and Tyler Pettorini (Ohio State/Wooster, OH) cutting the Rox lead to 4-3. 

Brockton quickly retook the lead 6-4 in the top of the second. 

There was another lead change in the bottom of the second when the Bees put up a five-spot on the Rox. 

Elliot Good (CCSU/Meriden, CT) belted a two run homer over the left field wall that scored his college teammate Jeff Nicol (CCSU/Wolcott, CT). 

The Bees weren’t done. Blinstrub hit a game-tying single into center field that scored Joel Lara (Franklin Pierce/South Boston, MA). Lara broke the single-season stolen-base record in the Futures League when he swiped three-bases during Sunday’s contest. 

Torniero hit a go-ahead single when he hit a single back up the middle scoring Jason Claiborn (ECSU/Prospect, CT). 

Pettorini added another insurance run when he hit a single to center field, scoring Blinstrub giving New Britain a 8-6 lead. 

New Britain added another run in the bottom half of the fifth when Claiborn drove in Good on a base hit to the shortstop. Claiborn was tagged out at first after attempting to get back to first after an overthrow by the shortstop. 

Pettorini added another run in the bottom of the sixth when he blasted a triple over the centerfielder’s head. Torniero came around to score. Pettorini finished the day 4-for-4 with two runs and two runs batted in. 

Pettorini scored on a wild pitch to give the Bees a 11-6 lead. 

Chris Gibbs (Mitchell/New Britain, CT), although allowing six runs, was still a work horse for New Britain as he went four and two-thirds of an innings pitched, eight hits, three walks and five strikeouts. He only gave up one earned run as the Bees made four errors behind him. 

The Bees are back in action Tuesday, July 19th at 6:35 P.M. to host the Pittsfield Suns for the first time this season. Join the Bees for their last Dollar Dog Night presented by Martin Rosol’s.