Audyatis looking to leave a mark at Apponequet before playing baseball at the next level
MATTAPOISETT — As a veteran pitcher, Apponequet’s Tanner Audyatis doesn’t get rattled.
So when Old Rochester had runners in scoring position in the first and second innings of Monday’s game, Audyatis calmly pitched out of both jams and helped deliver a 4-0 win over the Bulldogs in South Coast Conference action.
Audyatis pitched a complete-game, five-hitter with six strikeouts and two walks.
“We had some opportunities early,” said Old Rochester head coach Steve Carvalho. “Tanner got better as the game went on like veteran pitchers do. We left guys on base. It was easier said than done. We couldn’t get that timely hit early on.
“He had a little trouble with his curveball in the first inning, but he fixed it pretty quickly. He’s got good velocity. He’s a seasoned, polished kid out there. When he’s on, like he showed all of last year and this year, he’s going to be tough to beat.”
After allowing a combined three hits in the first two innings, Audyatis, the 2021 SCC MVP, gave up just two hits the rest of the way.
“He had to handle some trouble in the first two innings and he gutted it out and battled it out,” said Apponequet head coach Jim Cabucio. “They had runners at second and third twice and he got out of it.
“He’s a competitor. He competes. He wants the ball.”
With a runner on in the bottom of the seventh inning with one out, Audyatis focused on what he does best.
“I just had to throw strikes and make them put the ball in play and our defense would help us,” he said.
Cabucio added, “Tanner did a great job. He was really efficient in his pitches. He threw in the 80s for a complete game so we’re pleased with that. The fact that he helped the bullpen out this week, it was big for us.”
Audyatis also contributed at the plate, going 2-for-4.
“He’s been an outstanding hitter for us,” Cabucio said.
As his senior campaign winds down with just three regular season games left, Audyatis is enjoying every moment.
“We’re doing well so far,” said Audyatis, who improved to 3-3 with Monday’s win. “I'm having fun and we’re having fun and that’s all that matters.”
Audyatis began playing baseball at four years old.
He’ll continue to play the sport he loves after he graduates from Apponequet as he will study physical therapy and play baseball at Div. III Husson University in Bangor, Maine.
“Once I reached high school, I always wanted to play baseball at the next level,” he said. “It’s taken a lot of off-season training and a lot of hours that people don’t see.”
HOW IT HAPPENED
After a scoreless tie through the first two innings, the Lakers got on the scoreboard in the top of third as Nate Levesque drove in Dylan Bradley on an RBI single. A Justyn Machie sac fly allowed Levesque to score and gave Apponequet a 2-0 lead.
The Lakers doubled their lead to 4-0 in the fourth inning when Bradley drove in Hayden Westgate on an RBI single to left field and Liam MacPhail scored on an RBI groundout from Ian Nickerson.
Apponequet got its first two batters on in the top of the fifth inning, but ORR third baseman Damon Smead turned in a double play all by himself as he caught a hit by Maddoxx Rosyski and then tagged a runner out at third.
WHAT IT MEANS: With the win, the Lakers improve to 12-7 overall and 6-6 in the SCC. They host Bourne on Wednesday at 5 p.m. … The loss drops Old Rochester to 9-9 overall and 6-6 in the SCC. The Bulldogs need to win one of their final two games to automatically qualify for the playoffs. They host Fairhaven on Wednesday and host Dartmouth on Memorial Day. “We’re a work in progress coming down the stretch, but we don’t have much time left,” said Carvalho, whose team has lost three of its last four games.
SOUTHCOASTVARSITY PLAYER OF THE GAME: Audyatis delivered on the mound and at the plate.
CABUCIO: “They’re a good team and we’ve got a lot of respect for them. They do good things. The fact that we could push some runs across in those middle innings after escaping a couple of close calls in the first two innings, we’re very pleased.”
CARVALHO: “Going in with the experience level at the varsity level I knew there were going to be some challenges. Some days we look pretty good offensively and other days against good pitching like this we don’t. We did put the bat on the ball, but their defense made some plays.”
APPONEQUET STATS: Levesque (RBI, run scored), Audyatis and Machie (RBI) all went 2-for-4 whie Bradley was 2-for-2 with a walk, RBI and run scored. Westgate and MacPhail both were 1-for-3 with a run scored.
OLD ROCHESTER STATS: Zach Matson went 2-for-3 while Alec Marsden was 1-for-4 and Lucas McElroy and Owen Bates both went 1-for-3. Matson went five innings, allowing four runs off 10 hits with one walk and six strikeouts.
Apponequet;002;200;0—4
Old Rochester;000;000;0—0
WP: Tanner Audyatis (3-3); LP: Zach Matson
This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: Apponequet baseball beats Old Rochester in South Coast Conference
