COVENTRY — The Class S Coventry High School varsity baseball team knocked off Class L RHAM High School in an extra innings home win Saturday.
Class S is made up of the smallest schools in the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC), while Class L is comprised of the second largest schools in the CIAC, behind those in the Class LL Division.
But despite having less than half of RHAM’s male student enrollment, Coventry proved they could compete with the Raptors on the diamond Saturday.
After allowing three runs in the first inning, Coventry pitcher Ethan Hunt was able to settle down.
Hunt pitched the first five innings, allowing three runs before making way for Evan Menzel.
Coventry was able to come back from the three-run deficit by scoring one in the first, three in the third and one in the fourth to take a 5-3 lead.
RHAM was able to tie the game by scoring two runs in the top of the sixth inning.
Neither squad was able to break through the deadlock in the sixth or the seventh, so the game went to extra innings.
RHAM was able to push across one run in the top of the ninth inning to take a 6-5 lead.
On the brink of defeat, Coventry scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth to win the game 7-6.
“Gavin Covell was 2-5 with two RBIs and scored the winning run on a walk-off single by Austin Jonas,” said Ryan Giberson, head coach of the Coventry High School varsity baseball team.
Giberson noted that several Patriots shined at the plate in the game against RHAM.
“For Coventry, Jacob Wojtkowiak went 3-5 with two runs scored…,” Giberson said. “Aidan Hecht was 2-4 with a two-RBI double to tie the game at three.”
For RHAM, Forrest Baig went 2-4 with two RBIs.
Coventry pitcher Evan Menzel picked up the win in relief, throwing the last four innings of the game. Lance Bell took the loss in relief for RHAM.
Following Saturday’s game, Coventry is now 10-3 on the season and RHAM falls to 7-5.
Coventry qualified for the state tournament with their win over East Granby High School Thursday.
RHAM needs just one more victory to qualify for the state tournament.
Coventry was scheduled to take on Lyman Memorial High School Monday and RHAM was slated to play Orville H. Platt High School that day as well.
