Left-hander Ryan DeSanto (Penn State) carried a perfect game into the fifth and catcher Macon Winslow (Duke) recorded a go-ahead RBI groundout in the top of the eighth to lift Harwich over Yarmouth-Dennis, 3-2, Monday at Red Wilson Field.
The Red Sox struggled to hit in the early innings and were held hitless until the fifth. Y-D was held scoreless until the seventh, when a two-run single from Cameron Kim (UCLA) tied the game at 2-2. Harwich answered in the eighth when Winslow’s groundout gave the Mariners the late lead.
It was the third consecutive game with just two runs for Y-D, as the Red Sox left seven runners on base and went 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position. Through the first three games, Y-D has been held to six total runs.
DeSanto dazzled in his start for the Mariners and retired the first 12 hitters he faced by effectively blending three strikeouts and pitching to contact with five groundouts and three flyouts during his start of 4 2/3 innings.
Ramsey David (Southeastern, NAIA) got his first career start with Yarmouth-Dennis and kept the Red Sox close in the early innings with four strikeouts, one walk and one earned run over four innings.
The Mariners recorded a quick 1-0 lead in the top of the first as Cam Maldonado (Northeastern) took advantage of runners on the corners and brought home Ryan Weingartner (Penn State) with an RBI single.
Harwich applied the pressure on David throughout his outing as the Mariners placed at least one runner on base in each of his four innings of work. David was able to squash each scoring opportunity and maintain a one-run game.
Right-hander Nolan Sliver (Kennesaw State) entered in relief in the fifth inning and pounded the strike zone to post a pair of strikeouts in the frame. Sliver consistently attacked in two-strike counts and had back-to-back scoreless innings until the top of the seventh.
The Red Sox posted their first threat of the game in the fifth after three consecutive singles from Jackson Chirello (Kennesaw State), Cade McGee (Texas Tech) and Wehiwa Aloy (Arkansas) loaded the bases.
A runner interference rule caused two outs without Chirello scoring from third, and Harwich reliever Sam Tookoian (Ole Miss) recorded the final out of the inning with the Mariners still leading 1-0.
Sliver struggled with command in the seventh, as a leadoff single and three straight walks brought home the second run for Harwich. The bases remained loaded with one out before a pop out and an inning-ending strikeout kept the Mariners' lead at 2-0.
Y-D responded in the bottom of the seventh after Chirello and Aloy reached second and third with two outs. Kim blasted a single through the right side of the infield and scored the pair to even the score at 2-2.
Harwich regained the lead in the top of the eighth with right-hander Justin Lee (UCLA) in the game for Y-D. The Mariners took a 3-2 advantage without the ball leaving the infield as the leadoff walk turned into the go-ahead run.
The Red Sox left runners on second and third with no outs and stranded the bases loaded in the bottom of the eighth as a pair of strikeouts and a groundout allowed right-hander Justin Mitrovich to keep the Mariners ahead 3-2.
Mitrovich closed the door on a potential Red Sox rally in the bottom of the ninth and recorded four strikeouts over 2 2/3 innings to earn the win.
Photo by Sophie Solarino
