Meriden rallies in seventh inning to get past Avon in CEBA action

Avon starting pitcher Christian Boudreau gave up three hits in three innings in Monday night’s CEBA loss to Meriden at Legion Field.

MERIDEN, July 13 – The Avon U-19 baseball team erased a three-run deficit and took a two-run lead into the bottom of the seventh inning but Meriden rallied to hand Avon their eighth defeat of the season Monday night with a 9-8 Division I victory in Connecticut Elite Baseball Association action.

Meriden (4-2) scored three runs in the seventh inning to earn the win. Ethan Brazen’s sacrifice fly with one out drove in the winning run for Meriden. Kam Hartenstein and winning pitcher Owen Papciak also had RBI singles in the seventh inning.

Papciak had an outstanding evening. He was the winning pitcher, throwing 2.1 innings of relief, scattering three hits. At the plate, he was 2-for-2 with a double and two RBI.

Avon (1-8) took a 3-0 lead only to see Meriden answer with six unanswered runs. But Avon erased a three-run deficit to tie the game in the top of the fifth inning.

After two walks and a passed ball to open the inning, Matt Arciero’s RBI single drove in a run. Max Raha’s sacrifice fly drove in another run and Avon tied the game, 6-6, on a bases-loaded walk to Tyler Mandeville.

Avon took the lead again in the seventh inning. Christian Boudreau singled and stole second base. With one out, Emmett Borenstein walked. Mandeville’s single to left field drove in Boudreau for a 7-6 lead. Borenstein moved to second on Mandeville’s hit and later stole third base. He scored on Justin Hasler’s sacrifice fly for an 8-6 lead.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, Raha hit Meriden’s leadoff hitter Matt Merrigan. Hartenstein’s double cut the Avon lead to one run, 8-7. After a single by Jack Clancy, Papciak ripped a shot to center field that scored Hartenstein from third base to tie the game, 8-8. Clancy moved to second base on Papciak’s hit and moved to third base on a passed ball. He scored on Brazen’s sacrifice to left field.

Mandeville was 3-for-3 with two RBI for Avon while Hasler had a double and drove in two runs. Raha was 1-for-3 with a RBI and two stolen bases. Boudreau also swiped a pair of bases.

Avon returns to action on Tuesday night when they visit Sage Park to visit Division I leader Berlin beginning at 5:45 p.m.

Meriden 9, Avon 8
At Meriden
Avon (1-8)          300  030  2  — 8-8-3
Meriden (4-2)    301  200  3  — 9-6-4
Christian Boudreau, Max Raha and unknown; Andrew McCarty, Matt Merrigan (5), Owen Papciak (5) and unknown; WP: Papciak; LP: Raha (0-1); 2B: Justin Hasler  (A), Kam Hartenstein (M), Papciak (M)