Generals over Tories

Hamilton defeated Topsfield by a score of 12-6 on Thursday night at Patton Park.  Jeff Jensen earned the victory with a complete game effort yielding just five hits while striking out six.  Zack Lampkin was charged with the loss for the Tories, but pitched better than the score would suggest, as he struck out seven Generals batters in his five innings of work.
 
The Generals jumped out to a 2-0 lead after one inning.  Rookie sensation Jim Love led off the game with a single, stole second and scored on a RBI single by Jim Maloney.  Maloney would score later in the inning on a wild pitch.  Topsfield responded in a big way by putting up six runs in the top of the second.  After Gallugi walked with one out, Heath launched a two run bomb into the pond to knot the score at two.  The Tories took a 3-2 lead on a wild pitch and extended their lead to 6-2 when Andrew Dyer connected for a three run homer to left.
 
Hamilton then fought back with five runs in the third to reclaim a 7-6 lead.  After Bryan Vitale and Mark Ruggerio walked, stud rightfielder Michael Drinkwater delivered an RBI single cutting the Topsfield lead to 6-3.  Judd Funchion, last seen on a milk carton as the subject of a missing person alert, followed with a two run single bringing the Generals within one.  After tying the game on another wild pitch, the Generals took the lead on a Mark Provost RBI single.
 
Justin Tilley delivered an RBI single pushing the Generals’ lead to 8-6 in the fourth.  Topsfield was able to escape further damage when a squeeze play went awry and Lampkin recorded a big strikeout to end another threat.  However, Hamilton added four more in the fifth to go ahead 12-6.  After the first three batters of the inning reached base, Vitale contributed an RBI single in his return to action.  Ruggerio followed with a two run single to left.  On the play, pinch runner Nails Simmons was able to motor home all the way from first base on an error, resulting in three runs scoring and putting the lead at 12-6 for Hamilton.
 
Meanwhile, Jensen settled down nicely and shutout the Tories over the final five frames.  Giraffe’s curveball kept the hitters off balance most of the night and he was aided by some fine defensive plays.  Provost robbed Doug Hittinger of a would be solo HR in the third, Drinkwater played a stellar rightfield and Ruggerio was flawless at first base.
 
Dyer and Heath led the Topsfield offense with their second inning HRs.  Love wowed the Generals faithful with a three hit effort and was joined by Funchion, who also notched three hits.  Maloney and Drinkwater had two hits apiece and Reggie Maidment reached base three times with a HBP, walk and single.  Drinkwater put on a base running exhibition, displaying raw speed, agility and extraordinary athleticism.  Acting manager Jered Stewart picked up his first career managing win from the bench filling in for Tom Jones.
 
The two teams will face off again tomorrow night at Proctor Field in Topsfield at 5:45pm.