BRIDGEWATER – Even with a 30-minute delay to the start of the nonleague matchup, No. 6 Billerica came out on fire at the plate.
The Indians scored three times in the first as the Indians took down No. 11 Bridgewater-Raynham, 5-1, at Bridgewater-Raynham yesterday afternoon.
“There is nothing like coming all this way, getting off the bus and putting up a three spot,” said Billerica head coach Joe Higgins. “It was nice to see the guys come out aggressive and attack the baseball and good things happened.”
With two outs in the first, junior Alex Cruwys singled to right to score senior Cameron Climo from second. Senior Josh Bradanese followed that up with another single to right to bring home Cruwys to make it 2-0. A double off the bat of Anthony Nelson scored Bradanese to put Billerica (13-3) in front 3-0 before Justin Burek grounded out to third to end the frame.
The three-run lead held intact until Bridgewater-Raynham (10-2) scored in the bottom of the fifth as a two-out single up the middle for Colin Trahon scored Matthew Reaghan who led off the inning with a double. After a walk for James Morin, Brandon Jewer got out of the bases loaded jam as Zac Nussbaum grounded out to first.
“(Jewer) came out throwing really well for us,” Higgins said. “He’s thrown well for us all year. He’s now 6-0 and he’s our ace. He came down here against a good ballclub and established his curveball. He was throwing all his pitches over the plate and we made the plays behind him.”
Jewer struck out seven, allowed five hits and walked five over his six one-run innings. He stranded nine runners, including five combined in the fifth and the sixth.
The Indians added two runs in the top of the seventh to increase the lead to 5-1 entering the final frame.
“That was huge,” said Higgins. “Getting those two insurance runs in the seventh after putting up three and not scoring the rest of the way, it was great scoring those runs. In the sixth and seventh, (Bridgewater-Raynham) kept coming, they are a good ballclub and they kept coming. We weathered the storm.”
Scott Murphy hit a bounding ball to second with runners on second and third as Nick Andrews went home with the ball. Senior captain Dylan Salk beat the tag to make it 4-1. A RBI groundout for Cruwys scored Climo to extend the lead to 5-1.
Nelson came in to relieve Jewer and struck out the final two batters -- after a one-out walk followed by a hit batter put a couple runners on first and second for the Trojans – to end the contest.