Yellowjackets baseball falls to Nonnewaug, 4-2

WINSTED — Gilbert baseball hosted Nonnewaug at Walker Field Friday, April 17. The Jackets struggled through six innings to surmount Nonnewaug’s lead, but ultimately took a 4-2 loss.

Yellowjacket starting pitcher Nate Lapointe looked strong early, striking out two and giving up just one hit in the first inning.

Nonnewaug made short work of Gilbert’s first inning offense and found a little life in their own hitting game with a line drive triple to start off the second. Another hard line drive brought in the runner at third to give Nonnewaug an early 1-0 lead.

Gilbert continued to struggle offensively and found themselves trying to repel a Nonnewaug hitting game that was gaining some significant momentum. A Yellowjacket error turned a ground single into an easy double, which was followed by a bunt single to put runners at the corners. Nonnewaug’s third hit sent a hard line drive to drive in their second run of the game. A bold play allowed Nonnewaug to steal home for another third-inning run, bringing the score to 3-0. It was a unforgiving inning for the Jackets, where a few fielding errors and some misfortune at the mound hurled Gilbert into a growing hole.

The Jackets received a bit of good fortune as Nonnewaug’s pitching seemed to derail suddenly, loading the bases on walks. Lapointe brought in Gilbert’s first run of the game with a single, bringing the score to 3-1 before the end of the inning.

Gilbert’s Austin Brochu relieved Lapointe in the top of the fourth, starting his turn at the mound with a strikeout, before giving up a single and a double. Yellowjacket shortstop Zac Tuozzo made a critical play late in the inning, throwing out an impending Nonnewaug run at home.

Austin Brochu set up a sound defensive play in the fifth, grabbing a quick shot and tossing it to second, where it was sent over to first for a  double play.

Lapointe, although finished at the mound, was still an active and productive hitter, driving in Alec Brochu with a single in the bottom of the fifth, narrowing the gap to just one.

Gilbert held Nonnewaug to three runs with another double play, this time with Tuozzo making the effort to knock down two in the top of the sixth.

Gilbert replaced their pitcher once again, taking out Austin Brochu and sending Jon Tessman. Tessman kept hits to the ground, which allowed the Jackets to rack up two quick outs in the top of the seventh. Tessman walked the next batter who was able to make it to second on a steal. With a runner in position to score, Tessman gave up a double that drove in Nonnewaug’s fourth run of the game.

The Jackets were unable to rally in the bottom of the inning and took the 4-2 loss at home. Nate Lapointe led Gilbert pitching with five strike outs and drove in both of Gilbert’s runs.