Baseball: Huskies Pull Out Comeback, Extra Innings Win

Back in the lineup for the first time after a jaw injury from being hit in the face with a baseball, sophomore catcher Bruce Briglia was anxious to contribute in Flint Hill's Mid-Atlantic Athletic Conference game against Maret.

And contribute he did. Briglia walked twice, scored two runs and hit two singles for two RBI, one of which scored the game-winning run in extra innings to lift the Huskies to a 13-12 win over the Frogs on Friday.

"I thought I was going to suck," Briglia said. "I guess I didn't do that bad." 

But before Briglia's heroics, the Huskies and Frogs engaged in an offensive battle that saw both teams go on scoring runs that seemed to end the game only to have the other team answer with a run of their own, pushing them into an extra inning. 

The Frogs got on the scoreboard first with back-to-back doubles to start the game. A solo home run in the second inning added another run for the Frogs before the Huskies tallied two runs to tie the game on a double from Luke Belt in the bottom of the inning.

The game remained tied at 2-2 for two innings until the Frogs knocked in a run in the fifth, then added four more runs — which included a two-run homer — in the sixth to gain a 7-2 advantage. 

Despite the five-run deficit, Coach Tom Verbanic did not think a rally was out of the question to get the Huskies back in it.

"I thought we had actually hit the ball well all game. We hit the ball hard, but we just couldn't seem to get a break here and there," Verbanic said. "You just have to hope it's not going to go that way the rest of the day."

In the bottom of the sixth, the Huskies went on a 10-run scoring spree that started with an RBI single from Briglia to score Harrison Gray who started the inning with a single. Daniel Giguere followed with a RBI single to score Nick Bazzarone, who entered the game in the fourth inning after about a week of sitting out with a wrist injury. Felix van der Vaart drew a walk to load the bases. Then freshman Christian Tailor slammed a three-run double to give the Huskies their first lead of the game.

The scoring spree continued after the Frogs intentionally walked Gray, back at the plate after leading off the inning. Rick Armstrong hit a line drive single, which was followed by a two-run double from Josh Crummer. The Huskies then drew three walks in a row, the last of which from Belt — who went 2 for 3 and led his team with four RBI — scored the final run of the inning. 

The Huskies ended the sixth at a five-run advantage over the Frogs after the inning started with them at a five-run deficit — all on two outs. The Huskies entered the seventh up 12-7.

"It was after the inning we gave up a bunch of runs, so we were just like 'We need to get back in it or we're going to be finished,'" Briglia said. "I know our guys can hit, but we haven't been hitting all that well lately. I know our guys have heart, but it definitely took hard work, effort to go on that rally."

But the Frogs went on their second scoring spree of the game, this time for five runs — which included their third home run of the game — to tie the Huskies at 12. The Huskies failed to score in the bottom of the inning, pushing the game into extra innings.  

Gray, who took the mound in the seventh, struck out the side. Crummer drew a walk to start the bottom of the eighth, and Bazzarone was hit by a pitch.

Briglia stepped to the plate and saw two straight balls before the Frogs replaced their pitcher. Then he watched a strike and failed a bunt attempt to bring his count to 2-2 before hitting a line drive single to score the winning run. 

"I kind of forgot about all the pressure in that situation because I was mad I missed the bunt. I just wanted to hit the ball," Briglia said.

Briglia was cleared to play Thursday after an injury to his mouth about a week ago.

"It's pretty impressive to play as well as he did after just being cleared yesterday," Verbanic said. "It couldn't have happened to a better kid to get the winning hit."

Tommy Doyle started on the mound for the Huskies. He threw one strikeout, one walk and four hits, and gave up two runs in two innings of work. Van der Vaart pitched in relief for four innings, tallying two strikeouts, two walks, seven hits and five runs. Gray closed the game with five strikeouts, three hits and five runs. 

The Huskies (5-1 MAC) will host Woodberry Forest at 2 p.m. today.