Ontario Academy Uses Big Inning To Top Massasoit, 10-5

VERO BEACH, Fla. ---- For the third straight game, the Massasoit Community College baseball team scored first, but an eight-run third inning proved to be too much to overcome, falling to Ontario Academy 10-5 on Saturday at the Historic Dodgertown Complex.

"It was that one big inning that hurt us," head coach Tom Frizzell said. "You can't walk six guys (five coming in the third inning) in a game and expect to win."

Massasoit (0-3) struck first on a two-out RBI single off the bat from sophomore Patrick Murray (Weymouth), plating freshman Matt Levasseur (Milton) in the top of the second.

After knotting the score up in the last of the second, Ontario sent 12 men to the plate in the top of third, scoring eight times, using just two hits ending the day early for Massasoit starter Tom Protentis (Lakeville/Apponequet Regional). Protentis was an emergency starter for injured Luke Nagle.

In the big inning, Ontario took advantage of five walks and a Warrior miscue to own a 9-1 lead. The error for Massasoit took place with the bases loaded and one down in the frame.

Massasoit got one run back in the last of the third on consecutive doubles from David Murphy (Plymouth/Plymouth North HS) and Joe Walsh (Taunton).

It appeared that Massasoit had something cooking in the fourth, when it loaded the bases with no outs. Unfortunately, Ontario escaped the inning unscathed, using a strikeout and double play as the Warriors left the sacks packed.

The Warriors would tack on a run in the fifth and two more in the sixth to round out the scoring.

Murray and sophomore Travis Ritchie (Taunton) each finished with two hits in the ball game. Ritchie also knocked in two runs, as did Walsh.

The Warriors did receive a strong pitching performance out of the bullpen from Scott O'Brien (East Bridgewater/Cardinal Spellman HS). The righty went the last 4.2 innings, yielding only one earned run off four hits.

"Scotty O'Brien was a big lift for us today on the mound. He was in the strike zone and only threw 60 pitches," Frizzell said.

The Green and White are back on the diamond on Sunday at 1 p.m. vs. Riverland CC (MN).