Lightning Strike For Three Wins

Lightning 11, Bethel 3: Bouncing back from a 3-1 deficit, the Lightning exploded for four runs in the second inning and six in the third to crush Bethel Saturday at Sandy Hook’s Walnut Tree Field. The win was the local club’s third straight, improving its record to 4-1. Alex Saviano was the Lightning’s hitting star, ripping a double and a single, and driving in two runs. Parker Lintz also slammed an RBI double to left field, and Anthony Maki and Ben Stoller each knocked in a run. Lightning base runners capitalized on numerous Bethel errors, including five in the third inning. Stoller stole two bases and scored two runs, and Lintz and Saviano each scored two runs. Lintz, Greg Frattaroli and Maki pitched superbly, scattering six hits. In the first inning, center fielder Maki snagged a fly ball and threw to Ryan O’Keefe at second base to catch a Bethel runner off base and complete a double play. O’Keefe got the Lightning offense rolling in the bottom of the inning, ripping a single over third base, stealing second and scoring on a Maki single to right. Right fielder James Rebman helped thwart a potentially big Bethel inning in the second inning, charging an apparent single and throwing a strike to first baseman Stoller to nail a Bethel batter.

Lightning 6, Pomperaug 3: The Lightning stunned Pomperaug with three runs in the first inning and two in the second, and held on for a victory last Friday at Southbury’s Community Field. In the opening inning, the Lightning’s Anthony Maki walked, stole second and scored when Mike LoBosco launched a long double over the left fielder’s head. Ben Stoller drove in LoBosco with an RBI single, stole second and came home when Parker Lintz drilled an RBI single to left field. In the bottom of the inning, the Lightning benefitted from stellar defense by right fielder Cole Baldino. He deprived Pomperaug’s leadoff hitter of a base hit, picking up a line drive and throwing to first baseman Stoller for an out. Baldino also ran a long way to haul in a towering fly down the right-field line. In the second inning, the Lightning’s Alex Saviano smacked a single, stole second and moved to third on a beautiful bunt single down the third-base line by Ryan O’Keefe. James Rebman knocked in a run with an infield grounder, and O’Keefe scored on an error. Lintz, Saviano and Maki kept the Pomperaug hitters off balance throughout the game, combining on a four-hitter.

Lightning 14, Aspetuck 2: Down to 2-1 in the third inning at Redding’s Boys & Girls Club Field last week, Nicky Sajovic sparked the Lightning by lining a single, stealing second and scoring on Ian Kirner’s RBI single to right center. It was the first of three RBIs for Kirner who also turned in a sharp defensive game. John Hampford lofted a long sacrifice fly to center to score Kirner and give the Newtown squad a lead it never relinquished. In the fourth inning, Ben Stoller produced another Lightning run, singling to right center for the first of his two hits, stealing second and scoring on an error.  An inning later, Kyler Harmeling walked, stole second and scored on Kirner’s second RBI single. The Lightning’s Parker Lintz pitched the first 3 1/3 innings, limiting Aspetuck to two runs on four hits. With two runners on base and one out in the fourth inning, Harmeling came in to pitch and put out the fire. He struck out Aspetuck’s clean-up hitter and then retired the next hitter on a fly to center fielder Maki. Harmeling followed with two shutout innings. His final scoreless inning in the sixth was preserved by Maki, who caught a fly in straight-away center and threw a perfect one-bounce throw to catcher Mike LoBosco. Despite a hard-sliding base runner, LoBosco didn’t give an inch, grabbing the throw and tagging the runner to complete a double play. The Lightning scored twice in the sixth to increase the local team’s lead to 6-2. Hampford beat out an infield single and stole second. Maki was hit by a pitch, and both runners moved up on a wild pitch. Stoller slapped an RBI grounder to the third baseman who unsuccessfully threw home, unable to nail a sliding Hampford. Stoller stole second, and, on the throw to second, Maki pilfered the plate to complete a double steal. The Lightning erupted for seven seventh-inning runs on singles by Lintz, Nicky Sajovic, Maki, Stoller and Alex Saviano. The single by Maki, who had also ripped a long third-inning double, drove in two runs. Kirner was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded for his third RBI.