Pittsfield Downs Drury at Clapp Park

PITTSFIELD, Mass. -- The Pittsfield baseball team worked five pinch-hitters into the latter innings of Saturday’s 7-2 win over Drury.

But Generals’ pitcher Sam Fick finished what he started.

“Sam's pitch count was way low,” PHS coach Seamus Morrison said. “He wasn't even at 60 pitches going into the seventh, there. We don't play again until Wednesday of next week, so, work wise, we were going to let him to about 80.”

Fick struck out seven, walked none and scattered six hits in the complete-game win at Clapp Park. The one hiccup came in the top of the sixth, when Drury’s Logan Rumbolt hit an RBI triple and came home on Thaylen Harrison’s single to right.

The two runs allowed in the sixth factored into Morrison’s decision to let the senior ace come back for the seventh.

“He wanted to work on things after the sixth where he gave up a couple of runs,” Morrison said. “He really wanted to solidify what he was working on all day. He pitched great. And his pitch count was low enough that we gave him the opportunity to go back out and work on some of the things he needed to work on.”

Fick’s teammates gave him a four-run cushion in the bottom of the second. Simon Nassif started things with a one-out triple and came home on Chris Tracy’s sacrifice bunt. Griffin Manns and Gabriel Coyne each singled to left before Shane Tierney was hit by a pitch to load the bases.

A wild pitch brought home Joseph Puia (running for Manns), and Quinlan Matthews singled to left to drive in two runs and make it 4-0.

In the fourth, a two-out error started a two-run Pittsfield rally that saw Tierney, Matthews and Jordan Nassif single. Coyne drove in a run in the fifth to make it 7-0.

At that point, Morrison began getting his starters out of the game and giving some at-bats to his reserves.

“It's still an uncomfortable feeling with having a lead,” he said, alluding to the four one-run games in the 4-3 start to Pittsfield’s season. “As a team, we have to be prepared for every situation, no matter what. You have to be happy for the kids who are putting in the work and not getting the playing time when they do get the playing time. It was good to get some guys in there who haven't had any varsity experience.

“Having a lead is great. I'm not used to it yet.”

Pittsfield travels to Great Barrington to face Monument Mountain on Wednesday. Drury (6-2) visits the Spartans on Monday.