Controversial Call Costly for East Hampton

East Hampton traveled to North Branford on Monday in a matchup of two of the top teams in the Shoreline Conference. The game was what you would have expected, but a controversial ruling that helped determine the outcome, was not.

East Hampton had a go-ahead run taken off the scoreboard in the fifth inning when one of its bats was ruled illegal and North Branford went on to rally in the seventh for a 3-2 victory.

The Bellringers took the lead in the fourth on an RBI double by Marvin Gorgas to take a 1-0 lead. North Branford answered in the bottom half of the inning with a two-out single and an outfield error to tie the score 1-1.

In the top of the fifth, East Hampton's Spencer Daley appeared to drop a bloop RBI single into left field for a 2-1 lead. However, time was called and, after a 15 minute discussion with the base umpire and both coaches, the bat was ruled illegal and Daley was called out, thus ending the inning.

"It was an unfortunate turn of events," East Hampton coach Scott Wosleger said. "Both guys inspected our bats before the game. As far as we were concerned, the bat was deemed legal before the game by the umpires."

The problem was that the umpires ruled the exact same bat on the North Branford side illegal before the game. So, when North Branford Coach Billy Mitchell saw the bat being used to get an RBI hit, he immediately headed out of the dugout questioning it's use.

"He did the exact same thing I would have done," Wosleger said. "He was asking why it was OK for us to use it, but they couldn't use the exact same one."

At that point the umpires were unsure whether or not they saw the bat in East Hampton's dugout during the pregame.

"We saw them inspecting it," Wosleger said. "They approved all our bats. It was a mistake on their part and they were trying to correct it mid-game."

After the controversy, the game remained 1-1 heading into the seventh. Meanwhile, East Hampton's Adam Michaud was pitching a gem. With college coaches from Sacred Heart in attendance, Michaud had three pitches working and, for the second time this season handled North Branford hitters.

"He competed like he always does and was locked in," Wosleger said. "We had a good game plan with them again. Adam studied the pitching chart from the last time we played them [a 6-0 Michaud win]. He and Johnson [pitching coach Gregg] had a good plan."

East Hampton took the lead in the top of the seventh on a designed double steal by Austin Shumbo and Nate Heroux. It was a gutsy call requiring some daring on the basepath, and it worked. Shumbo took a lead from first and walked off the base drawing a throw from the pitcher and getting himself in a run down. Timing it just right, Heroux flew home with the go ahead run before Shumbo was tagged out in the run down.

"With Nathaniel on third and Shumbo on first, we had speed and experience. We were not hitting, so forcing the action was a no-brainer. Shumbo ran the play to perfection, " Wosleger said. "We work on that and those two are a lethal combination with it."

Taking a one -run lead into the seventh was made to order for the Bellingers who are close to automatic in that spot. After getting the leadoff batter, Michaud gave up a single and gave way to Marvin Gorgas who was seven for seven in save opportunities. After a steal of second, the next hitter flied out to Austin Wosleger in right field. Although the runner tagged moving from second to third, the Bellringers stood one out from another one-run win. Unfortunately for the Bellringers, another outfield error enabled North Branford to tie the score.

Wosleger chose to walk the next hitter to set up a force. With runners on first and second, Brian Leonard singled to right. In spite of a strong throw by Austin Wosleger from right field, the runner slid in just ahead of the throw and the T-Birds exacted a bit of revenge from their 6-0 loss at East Hampton two weeks ago.

Wosleger thought more than one thing contributed to the loss.

"Not one thing at all." he said. "We win and lose as a team; as one big family." We didn't hit enough and it should not have been this close."

East Hampton hosts Cromwell Wednesday at 3:45 p.m.