SAINTS MARCH ON PINE ST.!

 

THE TRI-COUNTY COURIER

VOLUME 47 — NO. 14 | SATURDAY, MAY 30, 1926

St. Joe’s Blasts Turners Falls in 10-3 Friday Night Special

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ST. JOSEPH’S FIELD — If you skipped out early on the weekend traffic to catch the action under the Friday night lights at 4080 Pine Street, you witnessed a bona fide offensive clinic. The boys from the St. Joe’s Baseball Club put on an absolute show, soundly dispatching a gritty Turners Falls Athletic Club squad in a decisive 10-3 blowout.

Turners Falls struck the first blow in the top of the second inning, stringing together a pair of base hits to break the ice. It was a sharp single from Bellens that pushed the game's first run across the plate, momentarily putting the visitors out front.

But anyone who knows this St. Joe's lineup knew they wouldn’t stay quiet for long. In the home half of the frame, Dillon Slattery delivered a clutch, line-drive single to center field, knotting the contest up at 2-2.

TURNING POINT: THE FOURTH-INNING EXPLOSION
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TURNERS FALLS AC    0  2  1   0  0  0   0  --  3
ST. JOE'S SAINTS    0  2  1   4  3  0   X  -- 10
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The visitors briefly reclaimed the lead, 3-2, in the top of the third by capitalizing on a costly infield miscue. Yet again, St. Joe's answered the call immediately. In the bottom of the third, Adam Zebian showcased his textbook approach, spraying an RBI single into center to drag the Saints back even at threes.

Then came the bottom of the fourth—and that’s where the wheels completely came off the wagon for Turners Falls.

Jake Hayes ignited the home crowd by launching a towering, majestic solo blast over the right-field wall to break the tie. The Turners Falls pitching staff quickly lost its bearings; a chaotic fielder's choice off the bat of Pat Fitzgibbons plated two more, and a wild passed ball allowed another run to cross. When the dust finally settled on the fourth-inning fireworks, the Saints had stormed out to a commanding 7-3 cushion.

DOMINANCE ON THE BUMP

On the mound, Jackson Hayes was the definition of dealing. The Saints’ starter captured the victory with a gem of an outing, surrendering a mere four hits and just two runs over four frames while racking up a blistering nine strikeouts.

When Hayes handed over the leather, AJ Dillard came on in relief and slammed the door shut. The right-hander cruised through three innings of masterful, scoreless baseball, giving up just one hit to keep Turners Falls completely at bay.

On the losing side, Turners Falls burned through their staff. Lefty starter Perkins went two innings, giving up two runs on three hits before turning things over to their pen, which shouldered the loss after getting tagged for five runs over two frames of relief.

BY THE NUMBERS

The Saints' bats were absolutely singing, tagging Turners Falls pitching for a whopping 12 hits.

• Joey DiMichele was a terror at the dish, leading the hit parade with a 3-for-4 performance.

• Dillon Slattery made his presence felt from the bottom of the order, driving in two crucial runs from the number nine spot.

• Devin Slattery & Colby Harrington showed impeccable discipline, anchoring a disciplined lineup that drew nine total walks by taking three free passes each.

Defensively, the Saints were just as sharp, turning two dazzling, textbook double plays to stifle any hope of a Turners Falls comeback.

For the visitors, Bellens was a lone bright spot out of the seven-hole, going a perfect 2-for-2 on the evening, while Kelly drove in a run in a back-to-back sequence.

UP NEXT: The triumphant St. Joe’s club will pack up the gear and hit the road this Tuesday for a highly anticipated tilt against the DOC Spartans. Grab your tickets early, folks—this Saints squad is firing on all cylinders.