This evening, the baseball team topped William Floyd, 6-4, behind a trio of home runs.

Justin Porrino took the hill and immediately found himself in trouble as he yielded three straight singles to load the bases with nobody out. The resilient senior bounced back with a four-pitch strikeout, then struck out the next batter on the 13th pitch of a full count at bat, before retiring the next batter on a 5-3 groundout to escape the threat. In the bottom of the 1st, Lee Santiago began the inning by reaching first after getting hit by a pitch. Two batters later, Jojo Franco sent a line drive over the centerfield wall to stake the Brook to a 2-0 lead. Tyler Smith followed with a one-out double, but was left stranded.

Floyd began the top of the 2nd with a single, but Porrino responded with a strikeout and a pair of pop ups to put another zero on the board. The Bears went down in order in their half. Porrino pitched a strong 3rd, needing just four pitches to record a pair of groundouts and induce a lineout after a two-out single. In the bottom of the inning, he helped his own cause with a one-out solo home run to left field that extended the Bear advantage to 3-0.

The Colonials earned a leadoff hit once again as they opened the 4th with a triple to center. Two batters later they added to the fireworks with a two-run shot to right field that pulled them within 2-3. Porrino registered a groundout and a lineout to close a strong performance. Logan Charboneau earned a one-out walk in the bottom of the 4th, but it was all the Bears could muster as the game moved to the 5th.

In the top half, Aaron Babaev took over on the hill, working around a one-out single to throw another zero up. In the bottom of the 5th, Santiago and Porrino each earned walks, then moved up a base on a passed ball to move into scoring position with no outs. Another passed ball plated Santiago and moved Porrino to third before Franco grounded out to send Porrino home with a 5-2 advantage. In the top of the 6th, Babaev sandwiched a single and a walk around a strikeout, putting two Colonials on with one out, but a fielder’s choice and a pick-off ended the threat. In the bottom of the inning, a leadoff home run by Charboneau padded the Bear lead to 6-2.

Floyd refused to go quietly in the top of the 7th as a walk and a home run pulled the Colonials to within 4-6 with nobody out. Santiago took over pitching duties and gave up a walk to the first batter to bring the tying run to the plate, but the senior responded with a pair of groundouts and a strikeout to close out the win.

Franco led the way offensively with 3 RBIs, while Porrino and Charboneau each added one. Porrino earned the win with 3 strikeouts while Santiago got the save.

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