Avon rallies but Plainville is able to escape with win in nine innings

PLAINVILLE, May 5, 2022 – The Avon High baseball team scored twice in the seventh inning to force extra innings but Plainville got a sacrifice fly from C. Hills with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning to snap a six-game losing streak with a 4-3 win over Avon.

Avon (3-8) rallied with two runs in the seventh to tie the game at 3-3. Connor Lavore led off the inning with a double and was replaced by pinch runner Eli McKinniss, who scored on Jacob Wirth’s triple. Wirth tied the game on a sacrifice fly from Chase Beloin.

Avon had a chance to take the lead when they loaded the bases thanks to a single, an error and a walk. But Plainville hurler Brennan Staubley was able to get out the jam by forcing a ground ball back to the pitcher for one out and a fly ball to center field to close out the inning.

In the ninth, Plainville (3-10) loaded the bases with two singles and a walk to set the table for Hills’ game-winning hit.

Luke Coppen got the start on the mound for Avon and went 4 1/3 innings, allowing six hits and striking out five. He walked one. Sean Egan pitched two innings of scoreless relief for the Blue Devils, allowing one hit and striking out two.

Avon returns to the diamond with a road game at Wethersfield.

Plainville 4, Avon 3 (9)
At Plainville
Avon (3-8)                   000  100  200  — 3-5-2
Plainville (3-10)          200  010  001  — 4-9-5
Luke Coppen, Danny Galliher (5), Harry Engle (6) and Emmett Borenstein; Staubley, Egan (8) and unknown; WP: Egan; LP: Engle (1-2); 2B: Connor Lavore (A), Jacob Wirth (A); 3B: Wirth (A)