Healey's Walk-Off Blast Gives Skyhawks 3-2 Win
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| Matt Orr celebrates Ryan Healey's walk-off homer in the win over Bryant. |
Easton, Mass. - Ryan Healey (Lynn, Mass.) blasted a 3-2 pitch high and deep over the right field fence with one out in the bottom of the ninth, giving Stonehill a dramatic 3-2 win over visiting Bryant on Thursday afternoon on Lou Gorman Field.
The homer saved the Skyhawks from a third straight loss at the hands of the Bulldogs, who put together ninth inning rallies in each of the last two games to take the first two of the three game series.
Thursday looked like a repeat of the others, as Stonehill held a 2-1 lead heading into the top of the ninth. Skyhawk starter, Mat Lindenmayer (Penfield, N.Y.) thought he had the first out of the inning on strike three but it was called a ball after it was dropped by the catcher. Jeff Vigurs then sent the next pitch down the right field line for a double, ending Lindenmayer's bid for his second straight complete game.
Matt Giusti (Hopkinton, Mass.) then gave up an infield hit to Pat McKenna, who then advanced to second on a throwing error, allowing Vigurs to score and tie the game. Another infield hit had runners on the corners but the Skyhawks were able to get McKenna caught in a run down and eventually tagged him out at home. Giusti then settled down and got the final two batters of the inning without anymore damage.
Bryant starter, Eric Loh, who yielded two unearned runs in the first, was cruising along, having thrown just 81 pitches entering the bottom of the ninth and had retired the last seven batters he faced, including striking out the side in the eighth. He struck out the leadoff batter, Rob Von Stein (Trumbull, Conn.) and was ahead of Healy 0-2 before the sophomore worked the count full. Loh's 89th pitch was the game's final one, as Healey turned on the pitch for his second homer of the season.
Guisti (3-2) got the win in relief for the Skyhawks, while Loh (5-2), who went 8.1 innings and struck out seven, took the loss for the Bulldogs.
Lindenmayer was excellent for Stonehill, going eighth innings, allowing just five hits and one earned run. At one point, he retired 11 straight Bulldog batters.
Dave Fradette (Goffstown, N.H.) went 2-for-3 with an RBI, while Healey, who picked up an RBI in the first, drove in two runs.
The win improves Stonehill to 15-12 overall and 7-5 in the Northeast-10, while Bryant falls to 21-13, 10-4 in Conference action.
The Skyhawks return to the diamond on Friday for a doubleheader with Pace scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m. on Lou Gorman Field.