GRANBY – Carter White hopped gingerly as Ryan Gaughan’s bunt hung in the air. He wasn’t going to make Granby’s second out in the bottom of the seventh inning in a tie game and leave the Rams with no base runners if it was caught. He took off when it touched grass, expecting to reach second because of Gaughan’s sacrifice to get into scoring position.
Southwick pitcher Leighton Billings fielded the bunt as it slowed in the grass and ripped a throw toward first base. It sailed just beyond first baseman Ryder Pieczarka’s outstretched glove into right field and beyond the foul line.
White didn’t stop running until he slid headfirst into home for the game-winning run, delivering Granby a 6-5 victory Wednesday. Granby now has a chance to claim a share of the Suburban League Central title with a win over Ware on Friday.
“I don’t know if I’ve been this winded,” White said. “All I had to do was really run the bases. Everyone had a great game. It’s a good feeling in the end coming out on top in this type of game.”
Granby (12-3) faced a long climb after the top of the first inning. Southwick (11-4) scored four runs with four hits from its first five batters. Brennan Vinesett opened with a single, then Pieczarka brought him in with an RBI double. Nick Michael flew out, then Billings hit an RBI single to make it 2-0. Jack Sebastyn followed with a two-run homer to right center for a 4-0 lead.
Granby starter Collin Kennedy only allowed one more run and two more hits over the final six innings. Southwick executed a picture-perfect hit and run in the top of the third inning, and Ari Labrecque brought in Sebastyn, who reached on a walk, for a 5-2 lead. That was the last time Southwick threatened.
Kennedy struck out four, and his defense turned a double play to end the top of the fifth.
“I’ve been coaching him since ninth grade knowing the type of toughness he has to be able to go out there and work his butt off and work through,” Granby coach Jim Woods said. “When the chips are down, he’s gonna fight through it.”
The Granby Rams had a small stack to work with from the opening hand and clawed their way back inch by inch. Jon Santiago drove in Kennedy with a bloop single in the second, and Connor Asselin scored on a wild pitch to make it 5-2.
Granby remained opportunistic when Southwick’s errors gave them opportunities. Raymond Toth opened the sixth inning with a single, then stole second. The throw went in to center field, and he made it to third. He then scored on a wild pitch to make it 5-3.
“We wanted to get a bag every chance we could,” Santiago said.
His twin brother Michael Toth drew a walk, then Kennedy singled to put him at second. Granby then executed a double steal to leave runners at second and third with no outs. Asselin struck out, bringing up Santiago. Michael Toth came home on a passed ball to cut Granby’s deficit to one, then Santiago laced a single down the left field line to knot the game at 5.
“I thought the third baseman was going to catch it but ended up getting it down,” Santiago said.
Two Granby strikeouts ended the inning.
Kennedy sat down Southwick 1-2-3 in the seventh to give Granby an opportunity to walk it off. Billings hit White on the knuckle, giving him first base. After White slid into home, the team spilled out of the dugout unsure who to mob first. White was dusting himself off at home while Gaughan hugged Woods at third base.
“Honestly I didn’t think we would have a chance to come back like we did,” Santiago said. “It was an incredible game by the team.”
Kyle Grabowski can be reached at kgrabowski@gazettenet.com. Follow him on Twitter @kylegrbwsk.