Red Raiders Hang On, Defeat Dolphins

Thank goodness for Hayden Murphy.

The senior centerfielder made a pair of game-saving catches in the late innings and added a two-RBI single in the top of the 7th inning to give Barnstable High School a 6-3 lead and for all intents and purposes this one looked over.

But a Mike Dunn three-run homer off of reliever Riley Ashe with one out in the bottom of the seventh sent the game into extra innings and it appeared anything could happen as the visiting Red Raiders tried to snatch this one from the host Dennis-Yarmouth Dolphins. 

Barnstable did just that in the top of the 8th inning as sophomore leftfielder Griffin Burke led off with a walk and was then pinch-run for by Joel Carlson. Carlson stole second and was then moved to third by senior first baseman Chris Fowler on a ground out to first. Senior second baseman TJ Wardwell then rifled one to third but D-Y first baseman Trevor Allen could not hold onto the ball to put men on the corners. Wardwell then stole second to put the go ahead runs in scoring position. Barnstable junior catcher Cody Pasic - who caught a phenomenal game behind the plate - then rifled one straight at Allen and it scooted through to right field for two runs and an 8-6 Barnstable lead.

Ashe settled in the bottom of the 8th to get one ground out, a fly to Murphy in center and a grounder to Wardwell to end it.

Barnstable sophomore Eric Holzman started the game but lasted just two frames, allowing his first earned runs of the season in the bottom of the first on a pair of singles, a walk and a two-run double by Allen.

Barnstable senior righty Conor Walsh came on in the third inning and threw four shutout innings, retired the first batter in the seventh and then allowed a pair of hits before Ashe came in and Dunn launched one into the trees in centerfield.

D-Y added a run in the bottom of the 2nd inning when Jacob Gleason led off with a single, stole second and then eventually came home on a Mike Karras sacrifice fly to make it 3-0, Dolphins.

Jack Harrington laced the fifth pitch he saw in the top of the third inning to drive in J.R. DiSarcina and Micah Gregory to make it 3-2, Dolphins still ahead. DiSarcina went 2-3 with a pair of doubles and two RBI, including a clutch double in the top of the 7th inning that made it 4-3, Barnstable and then both DiSarcina and Gregory came home on Murphy's clutch insurance single.

Walsh allowed no runs (but is credited with two earned on Dunn's three-run blast off Ashe), three hits, one walk, one hit batsman and struck out four in 4 1/3 innings of relief.

Holzman allowed two runs on six hits and a pair of walks. He struck out one.

Ashe allowed three runs (one earned), one hit, hit one batter and walked one in 1 2/3 innings of work.

Barnstable next faces Pope John Paul II slated for Saturday, May 17 at