Summer Baseball: Wilton U-10 Blue 6 Norwalk Blue 5

Wilton U-10 Blue kicked off the summer baseball season with a thrilling 6-5 come from behind victory on Ryan Sorbo’s walk-off single in the bottom of the sixth on Sunday at the Wilton Family Y.  The game was the first of as many as 20 inter-town games this group of nine year olds will play this summer.

After Norwalk took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, the Warriors loaded the bases in the bottom half of the frame on hits by Sam Strazza and Ryan Van Heyst, and a walk to Sorbo, but stranded all three runners as Norwalk twice forced Wilton runners at the plate.

After starting pitcher Davis Wallon shut Norwalk down with just a single walk in the second, Wilton tied the game in the bottom of the inning as walks to Wallon and Aiden Shannon led to an RBI for Max Rothkopf on a fielder’s choice.  In the third inning, assisted by a wild Norwalk pitcher who walked five batters, Sorbo, Jimmy McKiernan and Wallon all scored to put Wilton up 4-1 after three.

Some sloppy play by Wilton and one timely hit by Norwalk allowed Norwalk to plate one run in the fourth despite solid pitching by relief pitcher Van Heyst, who had allowed just one baserunner in the third.

Norwalk struck back for three in the fifth as Wilton’s next pitcher had control problems.  With one out and bases loaded, Sam Strazza came on in relief to put out the fire allowing only one inherited runner to score.

Trailing 5-4 after five and needing to keep the came close, Everett Andersen came on to pitch the sixth and struck out the side on 13 pitches setting the stage for Wilton’s last inning comeback. 

With one out in the bottom half, Dante Filliponi hit a sharp line drive to center to ignite the rally.  Sam Strazza then walked and Van Heyst singled to score Filliponi and tie the game.  With one out and runners on first and third, Sorbo then drilled a line drive to center to score Strazza and secure the victory for the Warriors.