Monday, April 7, Watertown baseball was supposed to start a busy week with a league game versus crosstown rival Belmont at Victory Field, but inclement weather made that a non-starter. Tuesday, April 8 got off to a wet and gloomy start, and it even snowed, but a little after noon the sun came out, and a make-up was scheduled for Tuesday afternoon at 4:30.
This isn’t a weather article of course, but a little more weather first before the recap. It was sunny and dry, but extremely windy and downright cold. Basically, what any day in April can turn out to be like on a baseball field in New England. Well, the chilly conditions didn’t stop Belmont from getting off to a hot start, as they scored one in the top of the first off Watertown starter Jayden Pineda, and two more off the right hander in the top of the third.
In the bottom of the third Watertown loaded the bases, highlighted by a wicked liner just inside the third base bag for a double by lefty hitter Domenic Moynihan. Shortly after, cleanup hitter Lucas Pizzuto came up with the bases loaded and was hit by a pitch to drive in Watertown’s first run. The Raiders pushed home another run, but couldn’t come up with the big hit and stranded three runners and went to the fourth inning trailing 3-2.
In the fourth Watertown looked on the verge of ending the inning and heading to the dugout down only one run, when a soft line drive off of a Belmont bat floated to right-center. It looked like centerfielder Jack Brennan had a beat on it, but the anchor of the outfield pulled up at the last second and the ball fell in for a base hit. Maybe the wind fooled him or Brennan thought he and right fielder Adam Wainwright were going to collide? I don’t know, but either way, the runner on first was running all the way with two outs and scored as a result, and then Brennan threw behind the runner rounding first who hit the soft liner, instead of to second base, giving the Marauder an extra base.
The runner on second scored on a hit and then another runner scored and like that, a 3-2 game was 5-2 Belmont. Pineda threw pretty well on the day, but struggled with control in the fifth, and along with some misplays in the field, Watertown gave up three more runs before Pineda was relieved by left fielder Kingston Omolade. Omolade inherited two runners and no outs, and did an excellent job of stopping the bleeding by retiring the side in order. He pitched two more innings of scoreless relief.
Watertown got one run back, but just couldn’t string big hits together with runners on base, and so, no dramatic comeback was in the cards on this day.
Final score from a chilly Victory Field, Belmont 8, Watertown 3. Watertown goes to 2-2 on the season, 0-2 in league play. Watertown heads to Woburn on Wednesday April 9, and is back home Friday night April 11 to face Burlington.