ORANGE — Fifteen hits, five walks and three errors led to the Mahar baseball team’s 11-2 loss to Frontier Regional, Tuesday afternoon.
“I knew these guys were good,” said Mahar coach Art Billings. “After seeing the first six strikeouts to the first six batters, I think that put us on our heels a little bit.”
Mahar fell to 1-1 with the loss.
Frontier’s Ben Arnold started the game. He worked six innings and allowed no runs on two hits and two walks with seven strikeouts. He fanned the Senators’ first six batters and faced only nine batters through the first three innings.
“His windup was definitely, kind of deceiving,” said Mahar’s Will Peredina. “It was hard to pick it up. After our first time through (the lineup), I think we started to pick up on it. I think that definitely helped.”
Peredina doubled to center field in the fourth inning for his team’s first hit. Peredina was first-pitch swinging on a fastball over the middle of the plate.
“Coach always stresses being aggressive, so if you get a first-pitch fastball right down the middle, I’m going to swing,” said Peredina.
Jacob Berry pitched five innings for the Senators and allowed five runs on 10 hits and three walks with one strikeout. He stranded 10 runners throughout his five innings, which included getting out of a bases-loaded jam in the fifth.
“I think the pitching for us is going to be a strong part of our season this year,” said Billings. “When they get guys on and we’re able to actually bare down you might say, I think our pitching did well.”
The Red Hawks scored six runs in the final two innings to go on top 11-0.
With Mahar’s Charlie Barnes on the mound for the sixth, Arnold doubled to deep center field to score Jacob Bryant from first base, putting his team up 6-0. After Bryce Jordan singled, Berry, who moved to first base, threw to third to try and prevent Arnold from taking home. The ball went off third baseman Joey Brozell’s glove, which allowed Arnold to take home for a 7-0 lead. Barnes then settled down and forced two pop-ups to end the inning.
Logan Dodge then came in from center field to pitch the seventh. He was chased after only one out when Frontier tagged him for four runs on three hits and one walk.
Andrew Herk came in for the Senators and allowed one inherited runner to score on an RBI single by Arnold, who took second on the throw home. Herk then settled down, forcing a groundout back to the mound and another to short to end the inning.
Down 11-0 with one out in the bottom of the seventh, Dodge doubled to deep center field. After Todd Chaisson struck out swinging on five pitches, a fielding error at shortstop scored Dodge and allowed Herk to take second. Brozell then singled to right field to put runners on first and third. Pinch hitting for Jake Tenney, Noaha Chabot singled to right to score Herk from third and move Brozell to second. Sam Paul then grounded out to first, ending the Senators’ late run.
Fans had to open the rule book on a play in the fifth when Frontier’s Bryan Baumann hit a ball to short. Paul threw to third with the runner declared safe after Brozell failed to come up with the low throw. Later, both the runner at third and Baumann were called out for violating the “forced base slide rule.”
When there is a force play at a base, the runner must slide or get out of the way of the play. When Arnold failed to do either of the two, he was called out at third base and Baumann out at first for the double play.
The Senators are at home on Thursday against Belchertown High School. The Orioles are 1-0 after defeating Amherst, 8-1. The Orioles used three pitchers to combine for a one-hitter.