The Bedford High School softball and baseball teams played their annual military appreciation games on Saturday. The opening ceremonies, special patriotic player jerseys, and enthusiastic spectators are aways winners, and on Saturday, the Buccaneers were as well.
The softball team improved its record to 13-1 in the morning game, shutting down Arlington, 5-0. In the afternoon, the BHS baseball team came from behind twice to defeat Concord-Carlisle, 10-4.
Arlington accomplished something no team has done this season: the first two Spy Ponders reached base against junior Alyx Rossi, on a sharp ground ball single to the left of first base and a swinging bunt down the third base line.
Rossi then stopped a hard-hit grounder up the middle and threw to first, leaving two runners in scoring position with one out and the cleanup hitter at the plate.
It was early in the contest, but a key moment, and it belonged to Rossi. She struck out the next two batters and did not allow a baserunner for the rest of the game.
In the bottom of the first, Adi Poulter walked, Rossi singled, and with two outs, Alice Cooprider blasted a two-run double that struck the centerfield fence.
The Bucs added three insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth, beginning with a mammoth shot off the bat of Rossi that cleared not only the Miss G Field fence in right center, but also an old chain-link fence several feet behind it that may be a remnant of colonial days.
Bedford, with six regular-season games remaining, travels to Acton-Boxborough on Monday and Boston Latin on Wednesday.
A few hours later over on Field A, the baseball team trailed 3-0 after three-and-a-half innings. The fourth inning was a Buccaneer outburst. Nine men went to the plate and three of them scored, with runs batted in by Chase Brazee, Ethan Kauffman, and Chris Randazzo.
The Patriots regained the lead, 4-3, but Bedford gained the advantage for good with four runs in the sixth – on zero base hits. Errors and wild pitches and four stolen bases gave Bedford a 7-4 lead.
An inning later, the Bucs tacked on three more in a conventional style with RBI hits by Ryan McGrath, and Kauffman and a Drew Siwik sacrifice fly.
Ryan Capobianco got the win in relief, retiring the last eight batters he faced. He also played “The Star-Spangled Banner” – Jimi Hendrix style on the electric guitar as part of the pregame ceremonies.
McGrath led the defense with a putout and five assists at shortstop. Christian Brickman started on the mound, allowing two earned runs over four innings. Bedford committed just one error.
The Bucs and Patriots are scheduled to meet again on Monday afternoon in Concord.
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