Generals sweep Townies, advance to ITL Finals
By Nick Curcuru Sports Editor
For the second season in a row, the Hamilton Generals are heading to the Intertown Baseball League championship series.
The second-seeded Generals punched their ticket to the finals with a 4-1 win over the third-seeded Rockport Townies Tuesday night at Evans Field.
With the victory, Hamilton sweeps the best-of-three series with back-to-back 4-1 wins. The Generals will now take on the winner of Wednesday’s Game 3 semifinal series between the defending champion Manchester Essex Mariners and top-seeded Rowley Rams.
The Generals advanced to the championship series on the back of a standout pitching performance. Starter Luke Painchaud and relievers Carter Coffey and Ryan Hutchinson combined to allow a mere two hits, both coming in the first inning, and just one unearned run.
Rockport starter MacKenzie Quinn was also on his game, allowing one earned run in five-plus innings of work. But the Generals were able to build an early 2-0 lead and hold onto it for the clinching win.
Hamilton opened the scoring in the top of the second inning when Ryan Hutchinson scored from second on an infield single up the middle from Paul Horgan. Tobin Goldfield added a second run in the top of the third, coming around to score on an Aidan Cann grounder to second after reaching on a single to make it 2-0.
That run support was enough for the Generals’ pitchers. Painchaud allowed a pair of first inning hits to Jack Sperry and Keady Segel, but pitched out of a bases loaded jam. From there, the Townies did not get another hit but had four batters reach on errors and two more hit by a pitch. Rockport, however, could only muster up one hit with runners on base.
Coffey got the win with 2 1/3 scoreless innings out of the bullpen.
The Generals tacked on two insurance runs in the top of the seventh when Harrison O’Brien singled in Golfdfield and Jake Lanciani came in to score on a throwing error. Rockport scored its lone run in the bottom of the seventh when Brett Bouchie (walk) scored on a Jack Sperry groundout.
Goldfield had two hits to lead the Generals, with Hutchinson and Hunter Wilichoski delivering the other two hits.
Hamilton now awaits its finals opponent. If the Rams win on Wednesday, Game 1 of the Finals will be at Rowley on Saturday. If the Mariners win, Hamilton will host Game 1 and have home field advantage in the best-of-five series.
