Watertown Baseball finished off a busy week (three games in four days) Friday night April 11th with a 7 p.m. ballgame versus Burlington at Victory Field. A weekend of lousy weather was in store, and the weather gurus predicted it would start sometime Friday night, but luckily rain held off. But, it was chilly!
On the mound for the Raiders was the tall, senior, hard-throwing right hander Lucas Pizzuto. In his last start Pizzuto pitched a gem, a one-hitter while striking out 10. But Friday night he was facing a strong league opponent, and after three innings it was 2-1 Burlington. Both teams, despite the chilly conditions, were swinging the bat aggressively and putting the ball in play. Burlington’s starter, also a right hander, would work his way in and out of trouble all night. And this was the basic theme of the night – two good baseball teams throwing punches and counterpunches to come out ahead at the end.
Watertown tied it at two, Burlington went back on top 3-2, the Raiders pushed two runs across to go back ahead 4-3. Burlington threatened in the sixth, but a gutty Pizzuto forced them to settle for one run to tie it on a fielder’s choice, but Burlington left go-ahead runs on base. It was 4-4 to start the seventh inning, spectators hanging in through the cold conditions and a spitting-rain under way. Pizzuto’s night was done, pitching six gritty innings and leaving behind a no-decision. Watertown didn’t score in the bottom of the sixth, and Peter Plavidis came on in relief to start the seventh. Burlington put a runner aboard, he then stole second and third, and in heartbreaking fashion scored the go-ahead run on a past ball/wild pitch – official scoring subject to debate.
Watertown, facing their last at-bats unless they scored at least one, put the lead-off batter on base, but ultimately, with runners in scoring position, Burlington pitching struck out three straight to end a thrilling baseball game. Final score, Burlington 5 – Watertown 4. This was either teams game to win, and Burlington just did a little bit more. Given the chilly conditions, this was a great high school baseball game, one that Watertown came up just short.
For the Raiders, it’s on to a 4:15 p.m. tilt at Wilmington on Tuesday, April 15th and a 4:30 p.m. home game versus Stoneham on Thursday, April 17th.