Aubin's Double Lifts Hoosac Over Lenox in Eighth
CHESHIRE, Mass. -- Slayter Aubin's RBI double in the bottom of the eighth inning gave the Hoosac Valley baseball team a 5-4 win over Lenox and might just have saved the Hurricanes' season.A loss against the 1-10 Millionaires would have gave Hoosac its third straight defeat and dropped its record to 5-6 with several tough games remaining in the season. Instead, Bob Rivard's club is now 6-5 and back on track to achieving its goal of qualifying for the Western Mass. tournament.
The Hurricanes jumped out to a quick lead, scoring two runs each in the first two innings to open up a 4-1 lead. Lenox chipped away, however, scoring single runs in the third, fifth and sixth innings to tie the game at four runs apiece. Millionaires starter Jared Miller was a big part of his team's comeback, holding Hoosac scoreless for five consecutive innings. The Hurricanes loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh, but couldn't cash in until Aubin's double in the eighth scored classmate Tanner Bird, who doubled to left-center field earlier in the frame.
"We seemed to be sleep walking throughout the middle innings, but we woke up in the seventh inning," Rivard said. "Although we didn't score, we hit the ball hard. Tanner got us started with a hard-hit double to left center, and Slayter got a sharply-hit double on the first pitch to get us a tough win."
Junior Mike Koperniak started the game for Hoosac, allowing two earned runs and two walks while striking out four through five innings of work. Reliever Nick Burzimati threw the final three innings to earn his second win of the year, allowing one unearned run and striking out two Lenox batters along the way.
Senior Aaron Solari led the Hurricanes' offense, going 2 for 4 with two runs scored. Hoosac next hosts Mount Everett for a 4 p.m. game on Thursday afternoon.