Pettengill Dominates as Drury Blanks Hoosac Valley
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – The only thing that could slow down Anthony Pettengill on Tuesday afternoon was his coach.
Pettengill struck out eight batters and allowed just one walk, facing one batter over the minimum in four innings of work as Drury defeated rival Hoosac Valley, 10-0, in five innings at Alcombright Field.
Pettengill probably could have continued his dominance for one more inning to pick up the “complete” game win, but Blue Devils coach Robert Jutras opted to play it safe.
“Early on, we’ve got these guys built out to a certain pitch count,” Jutras said. “We like to keep everybody healthy, and we’re going to live and die on that.
“I know he was cruising, absolutely, but second day out and second game in two days, we’re trying to keep everybody healthy and then, hit our stride by the end of the season. These guys will be built out and be able to do what they need to do.”
Drury’s offense made sure that reliever Nick Sacco only needed to provide one inning of one-hit relief.
The Blue Devils (1-1) scored in each inning, ending the game in the bottom of the fifth when Ben Moulton reached on a leadoff error and Nicholas Lescarbeau brought him home with a double to right-center.
Connor Hinkell got things started in the first when he led off the inning by drawing a walk, stole second, moved to third on a ball to the backstop and scored when Lescarbeau reached on Hoosac Valley’s only other error while driving in the game-winning run.
Lescarbeau ended up scoring as well, but despite allowing three walks and a hit in the inning, Hurricanes starter Gabe Bishop was able to limit the damage to just the two runs, stranding three when he got a comebacker to the mound to end the inning.
In the second, Moulton and Noah Miller each doubled, the latter clearing the bases to push the lead to 5-0.
A Hinkell RBI double in the third extended the lead, and the Blue Devils brought the mercy rule into play with three runs in the fourth to make it 9-0.
Lescarbeau got the fourth-inning rally going with a leadoff triple. Miller and Batista Bartlett each drove in a run.
Bishop and Mike Szabo split time on the mound for Hoosac Valley. Bishop had the lone Hurricane hit to lead off the fifth inning.
After getting just one hit and leaving the bases loaded in the bottom of the first, Drury’s offense was more efficient as the game went on, finishing with nine hits in the game.
“I think we did a pretty good job of sticking with our approach, being patient, driving the pitches we needed to drive and then just carrying the energy throughout,” Jutras said.
“I think they’re buying into what we’re talking about when it comes to being relentless and getting those pitches that we’ve been working on and trying to hit. They’re doing a nice job early on here.”
Drury goes to Lee on Thursday. Hoosac Valley (0-1) hosts Lenox on Thursday.