Dons comeback against the Lasers

After a neck and neck match, the Dons came back to beat the Lasers 5-4 on April 19. With a great defensive showcase from sophomore shortstop Brock Denbo. In the sixth inning, the Lasers hit a hard ground ball up the middle. In one smooth motion, Denbo dove fully extended and threw the ball to his catcher who was ready to get the runner out. With just enough strength behind Denbo’s throw the ball made it just in time to get the final out of the sixth inning.

“I think it was a pretty big play for the team, especially because we were down by a run in a close game,” said Denbo. “I had thought about it before the ball was hit so it was easy to execute once the situation actually happened. It’s one of my favorite plays to make.”

This close game was an off day for sophomore pitcher Chase Hennessey. The Dons made a pitching change for Hennessey in the fifth inning. He allowed three runs and left the game for the Dons with the bases loaded and no outs.

The Dons brought on freshman pitcher Matt Schavone to relieve his team. Being put on the mound in this situation isn’t easy, but Schavone stepped up for the Dons. He managed to only allow one run and struck out two batters in this crucial fifth inning.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Dons were able to take advantage of some errors from the Lasers. Sophomore second base Cedrick Perez hit a pop-up in between the Lasers shortstop, left fielder, and center fielder. The three players got lost in the bermuda triangle and let the ball drop. This error let Perez get on first.

Once Perez was on base, the Lasers pitcher threw two wild pitches, allowing him to run to third base easily. Perez was then brought home after a fielder’s choice from the Lasers shortstop, to make the score 4-2.

This fifth inning was a defining one for the team. With an RBI single from freshman third base Thomas Williams, they were able to cut the lead to one run.

The Dons used their defensive momentum from the fifth inning to shut out the Lasers for the rest of the game. In the eighth inning, the offense earned a run, tying the game, and in the final inning, they scored the crucial game-winning run to end the match.

The team now holds an overall record of 26-8-1 and a conference record of 10-6.