Lazits' Two-Hitter Sends Taconic to 12-0
PITTSFIELD, Mass. -- Prior to Thursday, the Taconic baseball team had won nine straight games that did not get past the fifth inning because of the mercy rule.
On Friday, it won its second straight game thanks to a rally in the fifth inning or later.
Anton Lazits struck out nine and allowed just two hits and hit a three-run homer in a five-run fifth to lead Taconic to a 6-2 city rivalry win over Pittsfield.
The day before, Taconic (12-0) scored five runs in the sixth to break a 3-3 tie in a win over Mount Greylock.
After winning nine straight by an average score of 19-0, the 2019 Division 3 state champs showed they can battle for wins as well.
“For me, it’s more fun,” Lazits said. “I feel like these games are the ones where you have to go out and prove yourself. That’s exactly what we look to do, and it’s exactly what we’ve been doing.”
With two games left until the Western Massachusetts tournament, Taconic coach Kevin Stannard is glad to see his team get pushed -- and, more importantly, respond -- down the stretch.
“They got tested by Greylock, who was really improved yesterday, and facing [Jack] Cangelosi and then facing [Pittsfield’s Eddie Mullin] today … it prepares us,” Stannard said. “Hopefully, it continues, and we can take care of business next Wednesday [against Pittsfield], and then we finish up with Lenox.”
Mullin allowed just one hit through four innings on Friday, but it was a Leo Arace solo home run in the second to give Taconic a 1-0 lead.
Midway through his second trip through the Pittsfield lineup, Mullin started to have control issues.
He issued his first walk with two out in the fourth, but Owen Kroboth threw out that man trying to steal second to end the inning.
Then in the fifth, a one-out error started Taconic’s big inning, but that error was followed by two straight walks to load the bases.
“The intensity of the game,” Pittsfield coach Seamus Morrison said in explaining Mullin’s trouble. “Even though he didn’t throw a lot of pitches, he was probably wearing down with the heat and humidity as well.
“You’ve got to give credit to them. They’re obviously a very, very good team, very well coached. Anton pitched a helluva game.”
With the bases full and nobody out, Taconic nine hitter Matt Lee laced a single to left. Pittsfield’s Patrick Rindfuss just missed making a diving catch, which forced the runners to wait and brought just one run home.
A sacrifice fly by Bo Bramer left two men aboard for Lazits, who crushed the ball to left to give Taconic a 6-0 lead.
Lazits then retired the side in order in the top of the sixth. Taconic got a runner to third with one out in the bottom of the frame, but Pittsfield reliever Jack Wildgoose closed the door.
The Generals were down to their last out when Chase Racine was hit by a pitch for a second time in the game. Rindfuss then launched a pitch over the fence in dead center to give Pittsfield its first score of the game.
Lazits notched his ninth strikeout of the game one batter later to end it.
Rindfuss, who doubled twice for Pittsfield (7-3) in its last game, went 2-for-3 with the homer on Friday.
“Patrick, coming off his injury the last game of the season in football, he’s kind of had a slow go to the beginning of the season,” Morrison said. “With everything being so crunched in this year, it’s nice to get him fully healthy and running around. That at-bat was just the never-give-up attitude that we teach. We take those positives out of the game, and we’ll just work to get better in practice.”
Pittsfield hosts Mount Greylock on Monday. Taconic is off until it goes to Clapp Park to play Pittsfield on Wednesday.