Guilford Streak at 6 with Win vs. Blue Devils

May 3, 2023

The Guilford Grizzlies earned a 5-3 victory over the West Haven Blue Devils at GHS Field on Wednesday afternoon. It was Guilford's 6th consecutive win, improving their record to 12-3 on the year, while they are currently 6th in the CIAC Class L rankings, behind East Lyme who they defeated last week.

Sam Ametrano took the mound as the Grizzlies' starter and surrendered just 1 earned run on 6 hits, while striking out 10 Blue Devils in 6 innings of work, to earn his 3rd win of the year. Lucas Deshefy earned the save by pitching a hitless, scoreless 7th.

The stellar pitching was key because the Grizzlies were not able to pull away despite notching 8 hits in the game. In the bottom of the 2nd, Carter Williams scored Guilford's first run on a bases-loaded wild pitch with 2 outs.

In the bottom of the 3rd, the Grizzlies made it 2-0 on Michael Buccaro's RBI single that scored Lucas Ametrano. Then Buccaro would come around to score on a Williams RBI ground out that made it 3-0 Guilford, after 3.

West Haven pulled within 1 in the top of the 4th with 3, consecutive 2-out singles by Ray Gilbert, Chase Supan and Jose Padilla that made it 3-1. A Guilford error would allow another Westies' run to score, and it was 3-2 as the game moved into the bottom of the 4th.

Guilford would score another run in the 4th when Jack Farrah and Deshefy singled, then Farrah would score from 2nd when Lucas Ametrano dropped a RBI single into shallow left that made it 4-2 Grizzlies.

The Blue Devils refused to go away in the top of the 5th. Haygen Axelrod singled, Hudson Axelrod sacrificed him to 2nd, and he would score on K.J. Harp's RBI single to once again, cut the Guilford lead to 1 run at 4-3.

In the bottom of the 6th, the Grizzlies got an insurance run when Buccaro was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to make it 5-3, before Deshefy would come in to shut the door on the Westies in the top of the 7th.

Jack Farrah and Lucas Ametrano both had 2 hits with a run scored in the game, and Ametrano added a RBI. Mike Buccaro had a hit, a run scored and 2 RBI.

Up next for Guilford are the Cheshire Rams who will visit GHS Field on Friday, a Cinco de Mayo, happy-hour game at 4 pm. Then on Monday, 5/8 it will be Guilford Baseball Senior Night vs. Wilbur Cross at GHS Field. The game starts at 4 pm. but fans are encouraged to arrive by 3:30 pm. to take part in the pre-game festivities as we honor our 2023 Grizzly Seniors.