Grizzlies Can't Catch Up to Cheshire in 5-4 Loss

Apr 14, 2022

The Cheshire Rams took an early lead that they would not relinquish, turning away Guilford's attempts to come from behind, as they defeated the Grizzlies 5-4 on Thursday afternoon at Cheshire High School Field. The game was a tight contest, both teams had 10 hits, with the difference in the game coming down to defense.

Sam Ametrano lead off the game with a hard single to right, but 2 batters later the Rams' defense would come up big. With 1 out and Mike Torre at the plate, Ametrano attempted to steal 2nd and Torre lined the pitch down the 3rd base line. The Cheshire 3rd-baseman made a great diving catch on Torre's liner, and threw across the diamond to double-off Ametrano and end the inning. (video)

The play seemed to give Cheshire some early momentum, as they began the bottom of the 1st with 4 consecutive singles that gave them a 2-0 lead before the Grizzlies could record an out. The inning would end similar to Guilford's first turn at bat, when a Cheshire runner attempted to steal, but was doubled-off first when the batter lined out to Ametrano in right, who threw in to Andrew Shosho at 1st to complete the double-play. (video)

Guilford went scoreless in the top of the 2nd, and Grizzlies' starter Bryce Meder, pitched a scoreless bottom of the 2nd, working around a Ram baserunner who reached on an error. After Guilford went down 1-2-3 in the top of the 3rd, Cheshire would add to their lead in the bottom half of the inning.

After retiring the first 2 batters in the bottom of the 3rd, a Guilford error allowed a Cheshire runner to reach first base. The runner took 2nd base on a pitch in the dirt, and a 2-out single scored the Ram's 3rd run of the game.

Guilford got on the board in the bottom of the 4th, when back-to-back singles by Mike Torre and Mike Buccaro put runners at the corners with 1 out. (video) Torre would score on a Carter Williams' fielders choice, the first of his 3 RBIs in the game, but the inning would end with Cheshire holding a 3-1 lead.

In the bottom of the 4th, Meder pitched around another Guilford error that allowed a Cheshire baserunner, keeping the score at 3-1 heading into the 5th. In the top of the 5th, the Grizzlies could not capitalize on consecutive, 1-out singles by Brendan Skoglund & Jack Farrah, and in the bottom of the 5th Cheshire would add to their lead.

The Rams would load the bases with no outs on 2 singles and a walk before Andrew Shosho came on to pitch in relief. Shosho got the first batter to hit a ground ball to Guilford's drawn in infield, but an error while trying to cut down a runner at the plate allowed Cheshire to take a 4-1 lead. Shosho would retire the next 3 batters on an infield fly, a strikeout, and pop-out in foul territory, stranding 3 Cheshire baserunners and preventing any further damage.

In the top of the 6th, Guilford cut the Cheshire lead to 4-3 when Mike Torre lead off with a double in the left-center gap, and Carter Williams lifted a 2-run homer over the left field fence. (video) The homer was Williams' (and the team's) first of the year, and his 2nd & 3rd RBIs of the game. The Grizzlies would then go on to load the bases with 2 outs on 3 consecutive singles by Shosho, Skoglund (video) and Farrah, (video) but could not push the tying run across.

Cheshire would score an important insurance run on a couple of hits in the bottom of the 6th, making it 5-3 going into the final frame. In the top of the 7th, the Grizzlies were able to plate 1 more run on a Tyler Zajkowski walk and a Michael Buccaro sac fly, but came up a run short as Chesire held on for the 5-4 win.

The Grizzlies head into the holiday break with a 3-4 record, with their next matchup scheduled for Wednesday afternoon, 4/20, when they will host the Hamden Green Dragons, a 1pm. start time at GHS' Ralph Schipani Field.