LEBANON — Lebanon High’s varsity baseball players headed to Denny’s on Route 12A for a postgame meal Friday. The Raiders’ appetites might have been muted, however, for they had already feasted on Coe-Brown pitching during an 18-8 NHIAA Division II victory that knocked the Bears from the ranks of the undefeated.
“I’m not ready to say we’re one of the best teams in the division, but we have a lot of talent,” said second-year coach Chauncey Wood, whose 2-1 team pounded out 23 hits. “If that eventually puts us in the top echelon, we’re happy to be there.”
Events began badly for the hosts, who lost starting pitcher Cole Fabry when the third batter of the second inning hit a line drive that stuck his throwing hand’s palm. The paw swelled immediately, the ball’s stitch pattern visible in its reddened flesh, and by the time Coe-Brown’s at-bat ended, it was leading, 5-1.
“We were down, but we’re never out of it,” said Wood, whose team returned four starters from last season’s 8-6 squad and has five seniors who see regular time. “We’ve got a lot of exciting, young players.”
Said Fabry: “It didn’t look good, but we talked about how we weren’t a resilient team last year and how we need to create a new culture.”
Fabry was relieved by fellow senior Sid Wallace, who allowed four hits and six runs during a 1⅔-inning stint that ended when he told Wood he was suffering arm pain. Wallace struck out two batters, walked three and gave way to sophomore Zach Aldrich with the bases loaded and no outs in the third.
The Raiders began their third at-bat down, 8-1, but sent 16 batters to the plate and ended the inning with a 10-8 lead. The hosts began the rally with six hits sandwiched around a fielding error.
The game’s turning point might have come when Ben Achmoody singled immediately after that misplay, then stole second while the catcher’s throw sailed into center field, allowing another run to score. In the Coe-Brown dugout, shoulders slumped and chins dipped as the scoreboard flashed to reflect Lebanon’s 8-7 lead.
The fourth inning was more of the same for the Bears, who surrendered a Nick Brill triple to begin the bottom of the frame, then committed another fielding error before Fabry, who’d iced his hand and re-entered to play second base, belted a double.
Braeden Falzarano’s one-out single made the score 13-8 and, for all intents and purposes, ended the game. The contest lasted only 4½ innings because of the 10-run rule.
“It was methodical,” said Fabry, his right hand taped like that of a boxer. “We don’t really have home-run hitters, although we had some good pokes today, so we have to play small ball and wear other teams down.”
Coe-Brown (3-1) hosts powerful Hanover (2-0) for a Saturday doubleheader. Who’s left to pitch would seem to be a legitimate question.
Aldrich was Lebanon’s unsung hero, stemming the flow of Coe-Brown runs during a contest that at one point appeared it might feature a final score more appropriate to football. The righthander allowed two hits and no runs while striking out one batter and walking another during his two-inning appearance.
Lebanon’s Francis Calandrella had four hits, and freshman third baseman George Tafe delivered three hits and four RBIs in his starting varsity debut. Fabry had three hits, and Aldrich, Ben Katz, Bennett Hewett and Falzarano each had two. The latter pair each had a double and two RBIs.
Notes: With Raiders athletic trainer Danza Rodrigues transitioning out of full-time work because of the impending birth of her first child, Fabry was tended to by former Hanover and Hartford trainer Jenny Frechette. She also monitored the boys lacrosse contest happening on an adjacent field. … If Tafe doesn’t have the longest hair in NHIAA baseball, there can’t be many ahead of him in the standings. Asked if this bothers him, Wood laughed. “He can put it in a ponytail or cornrows or whatever he needs to do to play well,” the coach said. … Lebanon played without junior twins Sam and Dawson Bates, who Wood said are vacationing in Maine. … Raiders senior Ryan Oliveira, a soccer standout who decided to come out for baseball during his final spring on campus, was inserted as a pinch runner and scored to a raucous welcome in the home dugout. … Fabry said he’s headed to Fairfield (Conn.) University in the fall. … Wallace received his private aircraft pilot’s license last year. The Grantham resident struck out 19 batters during his final junior high game. … Lebanon’s 2021 junior varsity team finished 12-1, and many of its players have moved up to varsity play this spring.
Tris Wykes can be reached at twykes@vnews.com.