In a thrilling matchup on Saturday, St. Paul's emerged victorious over New Hampton School with a final score of 9-7, fueled by Connor Pollard's remarkable performance at the plate. Pollard showcased his batting prowess, driving in five crucial runs on two hits. His pivotal doubles in the sixth and seventh innings were instrumental in securing the win for St. Paul's.
The game started with both teams displaying offensive firepower, as St. Paul's tallied seven hits while New Hampton School managed nine. St. Paul's drew first blood in the opening inning courtesy of Luke Newhall's sacrifice fly, scoring one run. However, New Hampton School swiftly retaliated in the bottom of the inning, with Kieran McNamara and Michael Athansoulas contributing RBI singles to regain the lead momentarily.
St. Paul's refused to stay behind, knotting the score in the sixth inning thanks to Daniel Sullivan's single and Pollard's clutch double. They then seized the lead in the seventh as Pollard's second double of the day drove in three pivotal runs.
On the pitching front, Eoin Sheehy showcased his prowess, earning the win for St. Paul's. Despite conceding six hits and four runs, Sheehy's performance over four innings, where he struck out four and walked two, proved pivotal. McNamara shouldered the loss for New Hampton School, with a solid but ultimately insufficient effort over four and two-thirds innings.
St. Paul's demonstrated patience and aggression on the basepaths, amassing 10 walks and stealing seven bases throughout the game. Sheehy and Theo Schneible led the charge with three walks each, while Sam Ekstrand, Sheehy, and Carter Corbett showcased their speed with multiple stolen bases.
New Hampton School's offense was led by Jackson Flanders, Hayden Weeks, and Griffin Taylor, each contributing two hits. Athansoulas, McNamara, Finn Glidden, Weeks, and Taylor all chipped in with RBI hits. Glidden's keen eye earned him three walks, reflecting New Hampton School's overall discipline at the plate, accumulating seven walks collectively.
Looking ahead, St. Paul's will aim to carry this momentum into their upcoming game against Tilton School on Wednesday.
