East Providence bops La Salle 9-4.

With a win on Sunday, East Providence advances to the D1 Finals!

Townie Head coach Bobby Rodericks had never won a game at La Salle’s home field. That changed with his Townies slamming the Rams 9-4 before an overflow crowd at La Salle Academy. “I’ve been involved with beating La Salle before, but never here at this field. Tonight was interesting, the offense carried us right from jump. Supplying us the runs early, Charbonneau with the early homerun, that was great. JJ was great, a trooper, he stayed in the game. He looked stronger in the last couple of innings, I think he shook off whatever was going on and got a great win,” added the coach. Asked what keeps his young team going (only four seniors) with two wins against La Salle and beating Hendricken so far, Rodericks replied that “we definitely believe in ourselves. We stay together, grew together during the winter, working out, this team is really close, they may argue like brothers, but really get along so well. It carries through. If we win on Sunday. We’re in the finals.”

East Providence had sophomore JJ Renaud on the mound, and he quickly made an impact on the game. In the top of the first inning with the bases loaded, Renaud laced a double to center field, scoring two runs. Aidan Martins led off for EP with a walk. After a strikeout, Max Correiro walked and next Jamison Sydney was hit by a pitch. Renaud came to the plate and with two strikes lined a double to right center which plated both Martins and Correiro as Sydney took third base. With two outs, Kyle Desrosiers lined a single to center field and Sydney crossed the plate with the third run of the top of the first inning.

In the top of the second, the Townies brought the large contingent of EP fans to their feet when leadoff hitter, sophomore Chris Charbonneau drove a ball to deep left field for a home run. The sophomore slowed rounding second base but smiled widely when coach Rodericks at third base waved him home. “I had to tell him it was a homer,” chuckled Rodericks after the game. Next up Aidan Martins singled to center and went to second on a sacrifice bunt by Gavin Palombo. Correiro walked and Martins went to third on a wild pitch. With runners on 1st and 3rd, Correiro stole 2nd and Martins sprinted for home. Both runners were safe and EP led 5-0.

JJ Renaud continued to hold off the Rams, although he was somewhat under the weather throughout the game. “He (Renaud) was not totally himself tonight, but the kid is tough and was all in,” said Rodericks. In the bottom of the third, La Salle made a run at EP. The Rams scored two runs on a walk and a double. The Rams would scratch home two more runs in the bottom of the 5th making the game interesting at 5-4.

East Providence calmed the nervous crowd as they broke the game open with 4 runs in the top of the 6th. With one out, Charbonneau walked. Martins singled to right field. Gavin Palombo then smashed a double to right field scoring both Martins and Charbonneau to make the score 7-4. The next batter Max Correiro homered to right field plating Palombo and himself, giving the Townies a healthy 9-4 lead. Renaud would get the Rams on three ground balls to end the game advancing the Townies in the tournament winners bracket.

Martins had 2 of the Townies 7 hits in the game. Palombo, Renaud, Correiro, Desrosiers and Charbonneau added hits. After the game, an obvious exhausted Renaud explained that he was a bit off but confident he could get the job done. “I took my time, paced myself, honestly I knew one more win and we go to the finals,” said Renaud. “It’s a team win, everyone helps. This is what we do, we win together as a team.”

“I was not expecting it at all,” Chris Charbonneau said of his homerun to left field. “I didn’t realize it was out until I rounded 2nd base fast and coach Rod (Rodericks) told me to calm down, it’s a home run,” smiled the sophomore. Charbonneau repeated a theme heard throughout the Townie team; “We’re all just really close and that helps a lot. We hang around together, work out together, it’s a team effort all the way,” added Charbonneau.

East Providence plays on Sunday at EPHS in a 1 pm game.