Deerfield travelled to the windy New Hampshire seacoast for a double header against Philips Exeter on Saturday afternoon. The squad put together a solid day of baseball all around and was able to etch their first CNEPSBL win, splitting the day with the Lions. Deerfield took the first game (9-6) in extra innings. Billy ONeil (’13) and Nolan Doyle (’12) combined for a gritty effort on the mound, keeping Exeter hitters off-balance and pummeling the strike zone early in the count. Luke Bakker (’15) had a break out day at the plate, as he lined a crucial 2-out single to drive in 2 runs, putting Deerfield up 6-5 in the top of the sixth inning. Exeter rallied back to tie the game in their half of the sixth, and the teams took their 6-6 score into the top half of the ninth inning, when Mike Barry (’12) scorched a two run double to give the Big Green an 8-6 lead. Conor Quinn (’13) would drive in one more for an insurance run, before Doyle closed the door in the bottom half of the inning to secure the 9-6 victory.
Game two proved to be a great pitcher’s duel, despite the 5-0 win for Exeter. Deerfield was limited to three hits by the Exeter hurler, while on the other side, Luke Barkowski (’12) pitched a 7-hit gem of his own. Two defensive lapses for Deerfield led to the scoring for Exeter, but overall, both pitchers exerted control over the opposing team’s line-up. The game lasted less than 90 minutes, and Deerfield could not get things going against Exeter’s crafty lefty.
The Big Green now head into the decisive back half of league play which will begin on Wednesday, 5/2 when they travel to Cushing to avenge the tough 6-5 loss from their league opener earlier in the season.
