Recap for the game: Drury vs Lee on May 24
Jutras, Blue Devils End Season With a Bang
Staff reports
05:57PM / Monday, June 11, 2012
LEE, Mass. -- It hasn't always been an easy year for Robert Jutras and the Drury baseball team. On Thursday, though, Jutras and the Blue Devils showed just what they're capable of in a 5-2 extra-inning win over Lee in the final game of the 2012 season.
The Drury starter ended his career in a Berkshire Classic game he's not sure to forget anytime soon. Jutras didn't just pitch a complete game, he went the distance in a 10-inning marathon to pick up the win and improve his record to 3-5 this year. He struck out an incredible 17 batters, allowed only three hits and didn't give up a single walk all game long. The two runs he allowed were both unearned, the last one coming in the bottom of the seventh that allowed the Wildcats (6-14) the chance to tie the score and push the game into extra innings.
After his team took the lead with three runs in the top of the 10th inning, Jutras closed out the game and his career by striking out the side on 13 pitches. Overall on the season, Jutras allowed 10 earned runs in 41 innings of work, good enough for a 1.71 ERA. He also struck out 53 batters compared to giving up 15 walks.
"It was a nice way to finish up a tough season," Blue Devils head coach Al Marceau said. "Robert was lights out for 10 innings. He had an award ceremony to go to, and I tried to take him out in the seventh, but he refused to give me the ball. He told me he wasn't leaving his team until the game was over. He threw 121 pitches for the victory."
Drury (8-10) jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning, using a leadoff home run by senior Joel Giorgi to get the ball rolling. Giorgi, who led the Devils' offense with .339 average and 19 hits this season, smacked a shot into left-center field for Drury's one and only homer of the year. Classmate Rik Brown scored another run later in the inning when Jutras brought him home with an RBI single. Jutras also had a solid day on offense, finishing 2 for 4 with an RBI, a walk and two stolen bases.
After Lee scored single runs in both the fourth and seventh innings, the Blue Devils finally seized control in the top of the 10th. Junior Jake DiLego started things off with a double to right-center field. He then moved to third base on a bunt single by classmate Nolan Bird before fellow junior Ryan Ouimet brought him home with an RBI single to right. Giorgi then drove Bird home with a sacrifice fly before Ouimet closed out the scoring courtesy of a double off the top of the fence in right-center field by classmate Kodey Bryce.
"We had guys step up and play out of position and they did a nice job," Marceau said. "In the top of the tenth, in a good sign for the future, the juniors started the rally and finished our season on a high note. It was an excellent game by both squads and a nice wrap up to the season."
Giorgi led Drury's offense, going 2 for 5 with two RBI and one run scored. Ouimet also collected two hits and a run scored to go with his team-leading 13th RBI of the year. Both players finished the year tied in runs with 13 apiece.
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