Baseball: Varsity loses to Choate and Walker Tournament

Event Details

The Deerfield Baseball team gave a good account of itself in the 2017 Walker Tournament, taking second place.  On Friday, May 19th, Deerfield traveled to NMH for a late afternoon game.  Freshman Henry Gustavson came through with a spectacular complete game, shutout, to lead the team to a 1-0 victory and a berth in the championship game vs. the winner of the Choate/Cushing game.  Deerfield scratched out its only run in the 5th inning when Jake Presnal ’18 reached on an error and freshman Jack O’Neil executed a perfect sacrifice bunt to move Presnal to second.  Cameron Snow ’18 reached on a fielder’s choice that advanced Presnal to third.  Jared Pantalony ’18 drove in Presnal with a ground ball to the right side for a 1-0 lead.  Gustavson made the slim margin stand up with his 76 pitch effort.  He struck out 4 and walked none while scattering 7 hits.

On Saturday, May 20th, Deerfield took on Choate in the championship game.  Jared Pantalony ’18 pitched well, giving Deerfield a chance to win the game.  It was a tight contest throughout.  Deerfield threatened to score several times in the first three innings.  With Choate up 2-0, Senior captain John Esposito led off the 4th with a single and eventually scored to make it 2-1.  Choate scratched out another run in the bottom of the 4th to make it 3-1, which is where it stood after 5 innings.  Unfortunately the opponents hit the bullpen for 4 runs in the bottom of the 6th.  Deerfield never quit in the 7th, as Esposito reached on his second hit of the game and Javier Irizarry had a 2 RBI triple.  The Big Green showed a lot of enthusiasm, resolve, and spunk right to the end of the season.  They played their best baseball down the stretch.