Townies Rap Westerly 6-1 to Gain in Baseball Playoffs

East Providence High baseball answered Sunday’s 11-inning home loss to Chariho with a 6-1 decisive win over Westerly HS Monday night. The Townies Tim Robitaille pitched 6 strong innings of shutout ball, scattering just four hits and striking out three. Westerly was stymied by Robitaille throughout his six innings and the Townie pitcher also contributed two key hits.

With two outs in the bottom of the third, Jack McKnight walked and reached 2nd base on a Steve Estrella base hit. McKnight and Estrella engineered a successful double steal and Chico Santos walked to load the bases for East Providence. Zuirel Vargas was hit by a pitch and McNight scored the first Townie run. Robitaille then lined a hit to center field scoring both Santos and Estrella as EP took a 3-0 lead heading into the fourth inning.

East Providence scored a run in the fourth after a leadoff infield single by Brian Rutkowski who then stole 2nd base. Estrella singled scoring Rutkowski for the fourth Townie run. Ep scored again in the fifth. With two outs, Nolan Lorenz, Rutkowski and Kyler Lorenz walked to load the bases. Nolan Lorenz scored when McKnight was hit by a pitch giving the Townies their 5th run. The Townies 6th and final run came in the bottom of the sixth when Chico Santos lined a double to deep center field and advanced to 3rd base on a sharp single to left field. Robitaille stole 2nd and on the play Santos scampered home with the 5th Townie run.

The Townies played impressively on defense without any errors and included a nifty throw by catcher Rutkowski cutting down a steal attempt at second. Vargas also stretched out completely in a diving attempt to snare a hard-hit foul ball past first base. In the third, Chico Santos made a great diving catch off a line drive from Westerly pitcher Jack Tenuta.

The game was put away by the Townies combination of timely hitting, no error defense and great pitching from Robitaille. Jack McNight came in to pitch the seventh inning and shut down Westerly after they scored a run. McKnight had two strike outs in the frame.

Estrella, Robitaille and Santos each had two hits for the Townies. East Providence moves on in Interscholastic playoffs with a 4:30 game at Chariho HS on Thursday at 4:30 pm. “One pitch at a time, one play at a time, one hit at a time, one inning at a time. We are okay guys,” head coach Bobby Rodericks told his team after the game. “We’re in this thing to do our best and win.”

Game photos by Katie Velino Santos