On Friday, the Wilmington High baseball started fast and ended strong, but the middle of the game proved to be the problem against visiting Burlington.
The Red Devils used an eight-run third inning to overcome an early 3-0 deficit to win, 9-5.
It was another frustrating day for the Wildcats, who dropped to 0-7 overall with their last three losses coming by a 4-2 score against Westford Academy and a 5-4 defeat to Melrose before the Burlington game.
Burlington’s second inning featured five hits and three Wildcat errors.
Daniel Crossman led off the frame with a double and James Gordon walked before a passed ball moved both runners up. A wild pitch plated Crossman before Giacomo Berardinelli’s grounder back to the mound was thrown away for an error that scored Gordon to make it 3-2.
Evan Brothers was next and his grounder deep into the hole at shortstop was good for an infield hit, but an errant throw on the play scored Berardinelli to tie the score.
Brian Chaves hit a single, moving pinch-running Brady Richer to third before a double steal scored Richer. Michael Bannister walked with two outs and a ground ball by Mason King was misplayed, scoring Chaves.
Crossman and Gordon both followed with RBI doubles, Gordon’s driving in two, to make it 8-3.
The big inning prompted WHS coach to call on Ethan LaConte for relief of senior starter Roman Synnott and LaConte would allow just one unearned run during his 4.1 innings of work on the hill. He scattered four hits, didn’t walk a batter and had a strikeout.
Wilmington took its lead in the first when Julian Martins drew a leadoff walk, stole second and advanced to third on a passed ball. Ryan Gray walked with two outs and stole second before a base on balls to Will Poyant loaded the bases.
Jackson Hegarty then laced a three-run single to right that cleared the bases.
Noah Titterington nearly added to the lead, but his hard liner to right field was caught.
The Wildcats wouldn’t score again until the bottom of the seventh.
LaConte walked to lead off and singles by Martins and Theo Bryson loaded the bases with nobody out.
A sacrifice fly by Synnott scored LaConte and John Roofe’s base hit scored Martins.
Bryson was thrown out at home for the second out.
Poyant nearly got the ’Cats closer, but his shot to center field was caught to end the game.
The Wildcats almost scored in the third as Bryson led off with a single and Gray had a base hit with one out, but a strikeout and a grounder ended the rally.
WHS also had two baserunners in the fourth when Titterington and Martins drew walks.
The Wilmington defense had some solid moments.
Outfielder Spencer Walker made a nice catch in the first inning and Martins ended the frame with a great play on a grounder to short.
In the second, first baseman JR Haggerty made a pair of plays, cleanly fielding a sacrifice bunt and then catching a line drive.
Poyant grabbed a line drive to second in the fourth inning and both Walker and Gray made good grabs in the outfield in the fifth.
The sixth inning saw Synnott made a nice catch in center field and LaConte cleanly handled a liner back to the mound.
Prior to Burlington, the ’Cats lost a 5-4 heartbreaker against Melrose.
WHS led 4-2 after six innings before the Hawks scored three times in the top of the seventh.
Martins hit a two-out single in the bottom of the seventh and advanced to second on an error, but could not score the tying run.
Down 2-0 after five innings, Wilmington scored four times in the sixth.
Martins singled with one out and Bryson added a base hit. Synnott then scored Martins with a sacrifice fly to make it 2-1.
Gray’s single scored Bryson and a Poyant base hit helped set the table for the ’Cats to take the lead.
Hegarty hit a ground ball that was misplayed by Melrose, allowing both Gray and Poyant to score for a 4-2 lead.
Titterington pitched for Wilmington and went into the seventh inning before LaConte got the final two outs.
In the 4-2 loss to Westford Academy, Haggerty pitched all six innings for the Wildcats and threw well.
Wilmington trailed 4-0 heading into the seventh but made a game of it.
Walker reached on an error to start the inning and Poyant singled before RBI singles by Gray and Hegarty.
After two strikeouts, Wilmington had runners on second and third, but a ground out ended the game.
After facing Woburn on Wednesday, Wilmington visits Melrose on Thursday at 4:15 p.m.