PHOTO BY BOB ROCHE
Wyoma’s Brady Bullock, left, hugs walk off hero Ryan Fraher, center, following a win over Pine Hill in the Lynn City Series at Reinfuss Field.
By MIKE ALONGI
LYNN — Thanks to a three-run comeback in the bottom of the sixth, the Wyoma Royals beat the Pine Hill Reds, 6-5, in the Lynn City Series loser’s bracket final at Reinfuss Field Friday night.
The winning run came home after Ryan Fraher was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, but the rally started with a bang thanks to Tyler Wilson. Leading off the inning with his team down 5-3, Wilson smashed a deep home run over the rightfield fence to cut the deficit to one run.
“That was so huge, it really got us going,” said Wyoma manager Jay Fraher. “To start off an inning like that and put us from down a couple runs to down only one, that was so big for us.”
After a hit batter and a single, runners stood on first and second with no outs. Aiden George stepped into the box and ripped an RBI single to centerfield to tie the game at 5-5. One more walk loaded the bases for Fraher, who took a pitch right in the hip to bring home the winning run.
“It was an odd way to end a game for sure, but it was kind of a weird game for us all around, so I think we’ll take it,” said Fraher. “We’ve got to give a lot of credit to Pine Hill as well, they really battled. It was such a back and forth game and both teams really hung in there the whole way. What a great game.”
Fraher finished the game with three RBI to lead the team, while Wilson contributed two RBI. Marquese Avery got the win on the mound after pitching 1 1/3 innings of relief. Christian Moran got the start and pitched four innings.
For Pine Hill, 10-year old Juniel Guzman had his best game of the tournament. In addition to pitching 4 2/3 innings (with a no-hitter through 3 2/3), Guzman cracked a two-run homer in the top of the third to give his team a 3-0 lead.
“He’s only 10, and he’s been getting better and better every game,” said Pine Hill coach Rich Avery. “And he certainly saved his best for last in this game with his performance.”
Junell Leon added the other two RBI on a two-run homer to right-centerfield in the top of the sixth to give Pine Hill a 5-3 lead.
“It was a great game, back and forth the whole way,” said Avery. “But after playing four games in five days, it kills your pitching, and we ran out of pitching at the end there. But Wyoma is a great hitting team and a well-coached team, and we wish them luck going forward.”
With the win, Wyoma lives to fight another day. The Royals will face off against the Lynn Shore Braves in the City Series final today (4) at Reinfuss Field. Lynn Shore is still undefeated in the tournament, meaning Wyoma needs two wins to knock off the Braves.