WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — Hartford High’s baseball team found its offense at the very last minute of its doubleheader with Mount Anthony on Monday afternoon at the Maxfield Sports Complex, leading to a walk-off win for the Hurricanes in the nightcap.
Hartford lost the first game, 3-0, but turned things around with five runs on five hits in the sixth and seventh innings of game two to erase a 4-1 deficit and win in a walk-off, 5-4.
Riley Packard hit the game-winner, a bloop single into center field. The Canes improved to 4-8 this spring.
“It was one of those days where we hit some balls hard right at them,” said Hartford head coach Jarrod Grassi. “They made plays. We weren’t very good at the plate. But we found a way when it counted.
“It was nice to come away with points under not the greatest field conditions,” he added. “I was very pleased with the way we finished.”
Alex Bushway took the loss in the game, allowing six hits, two earned runs and three walks in seven innings. He also struck out seven to keep the Hurricanes within striking distance.
The problem was Hartford’s offense, which managed only three hits and left four runners on base in the loss.
“They made every play defensively in that game,” Grassi said. “They made the plays in big spots.”
Freshman pitcher Colin Vielleux went the distance in game two, giving up nine hits, four earned runs and one walk. He also struck out four.
Mount Anthony scored three runs in the third inning and added an insurance run int he sixth. But Hartford’s offense found its groove in the sixth inning, cutting the deficit to two in the sixth before rallying for a walk-off in the seventh.
The Canes managed 11 hits in game two to get the split.
Hartford travels to Burr & Burton on Thursday.