THE LOAFERS celebrate their 9-3 victory over the Unknowns last night at Moulton. It was the third consecutive win for the Loaf. (Dan Pawlowski Photo)
By DAN PAWLOWSKI
WAKEFIELD — Week five of the Wakefield Twi League has descended on Moulton Field with a combination of urgency and excitement as the six squads jockey for position in the four-team playoffs.
Last night featured the Unknowns – playing their third game in five days – against the Loafers in the first matchup between the two this season.
The Loafers, thanks to five strong from Jordan Fauci (5IP, 2H, 1ER, 2K, 0BB) and a game-changing 6-run 2nd inning, improved to 4-2 on the season.
The Loaf got on the board in the 1st with four consecutive singles from Jared Pavey, Dom Sorrentino, Ben Waldrip and Taylor Robinson (RBI). After starter Adam Chanley battled back with a strikeout, the Unknowns got out of it on a perfectly executed 6-4-3 double play (Geoff Eriksen to Brett Maloney to Bryan Butt).
Fauci set the tone in the 1st when he surrendered just one hit. He sat the Orange down in order in 3 of his 5 frames and allowed just one base runner in the other two innings.
The Loaf went to work in the top of the 2nd. Andrew Waldrip reached on an error at first and later with one out, Evan McGuire started the epic rally with a single. Pavey and Sorrentino both collected their second base hits of the day to make it 2-0. With the bases still chucked, Ben Waldrip mashed one to deep center, clearing the bases for a 3-RBI double and a 5-0 Loafer lead.
With two outs, a throwing error allowed Waldrip to score and Justin Sencabaugh pushed the lead to seven with another base knock.
Chanley settled down in the next two innings both 1,2,3 frames, but the damage was done and certainly all Fauci needed to cruise to the win.
The Orange got one back when Chris Porter launched a triple to the left field fence and later scored on a wild pitch but Fauci didn’t flinch as the game picked up with a rare few more chances until the Loaf added two more in the top of the 7th.
Sorrentino was hit by a pitch and Luke Ickes came on to run. Later with two down, Nate Ickes came up and hit a bomb just over the center fielder’s head. It was a surefire RBI double but Nate soon found himself on the heels of his twin brother who was slowing down around second. With some “encouragement” from his brother and the Loafer bench, Luke shifted into top gear and still scored standing up, but not without drawing some digs from his teammates.
“I though he caught it,” said Luke with a smile and a shrug. The crowd was happy all ended well and not in a brother vs. brother rumble for taking an RBI away, something the two former standout Warrior wrestlers and sons of longtime Wakefield wrestling coach Ross Ickes would have certainly been able to provide.
Sencabaugh followed with his second RBI single of the night for a 9-1 lead.
The Loafers sent out Dennis Gramolini to relieve Fauci in the 6th. Gramolini struck out the side, setting up the Loaf’s insurance.
The Unknowns didn’t give up easily as they scored two in the bottom of the 7th. Maloney hit a leadoff double and Eriksen singled. Luke Martin’s RBI single made it 9-2 and Porter scored on a wild pitch but the game ended when McGuire played another spiked pitch well behind the plate and caught a runner off second base who was tagged out by Robinson.
It was the third straight win for the Loafers who beat the Expos on Thursday and the Slappers last Wednesday.
The Brewers are 4-1, technically tied for first with the Loafers (4-2) and Unknowns (4-4) in points but certainly in a better position to grab the No. 1 seed.
The Loaf and Brew Crew will meet this Friday night, 6 p.m. at Moulton.
The Highlife (3-2-1) are currently one game up on the Slappers (2-3-1).
The Slappers will play the Brewers tonight and the Expos (0-5) will take on the Highlife tomorrow night. Both games will be at 6 p.m. at Moulton.