By SPENCER BATES
SALAMANCA — Through four frames of their game against the Horseheads Hitmen, the Salamanca Lizards were in danger of seeing their six-game winless streak extend to seven.
The Hitmen opened the scoring on the afternoon with a solitary run in the top of the first inning. They were then able to pile up three more runs in the second as Lizards starting pitcher Dylan Novak struggled to find a rhythm early.
He eventually did settle in and over the next two frames, the sides went scoreless.
But it was in the fifth when Salamanca started to sense that there was more to take from the game. With two outs on the board, Sean Connor (2-for-4, walk) connected on his second hard-hit single in as many innings, scoring Connor Smith for the Lizards’ first run of the affair.
“He’s a special player, he’s super talented,” Lizards assistant coach Brandon Higley said of Connor. “Obviously he’s a new addition, but just watching him in batting practice, watching him in pregame, he’s got a tool that not a lot of people have. He hits the ball really hard and really far. He puts together great at-bats for a young kid, he was only a freshman last year, so it’s going to be exciting to watch the rest of his season unfold. He’s got a chance to have something special.”
The Lizards doubled their tally with a Gavin Lasko run in the sixth inning before being held scoreless in the seventh. But while their backs were against the wall after the empty frame, what made the situation manageable was the fact that Salamanca’s pitchers found a vein of success after the early trouble.
Novak ended up striking out six and walking just two through an eventual six innings of work before getting replaced on the bump. Luckily for the hosts, Aidan Gruber picked up right where his predecessor left off, keeping Horseheads off the scoreboard over the next two innings.
“There were a couple of hits early on …they weren’t hit super hard, but (Dylan Novak) was never shook,” Higley said. “We always tell him to give us a chance, and (our pitchers) gave us a great chance. Dylan was confident throughout the whole game. Shoutout to Dylan. He’s going to keep working, he’s going to keep having good outings like that, he’s a tough kid.”
Salamanca’s Dylan Novak (14) delivers a pitch against Horseheads. Novak struck out six batters in six innings of work for the Lizards. (Spencer Bates)
Gruber sent the Hitmen back to their dugout without reward in the top of the eighth and it was then, when the Lizards made their move offensively.
For a team that has been desperate for consistent, timely hitting, Salamanca got just that, in abundance, in the bottom of the eighth.
After a leadoff pop-out from Lasko, Tim Beimel and Harley Hoag (2-for-4) both got on base to put runners on the corners. Parker Drees (1-for-4, run, 2 RBI) kept the hit-train going with an RBI single that scored Beimel, tying up the affair.
Then, in the biggest spot he had been in all day, Smith (3-for-3, 2 runs, 2 RBI, 2 walks) singled to left field, scoring both Hoag and Drees and giving Salamanca its first lead of the day, prompting an eruption of celebrations from the home dugout.
“He’s been huge and I think it’s becoming less of a coincidence,” Higley said of Smith’s clutch performances as of late. “He’s built for these moments. He’s showing us what he’s got. All the integrity he shows in those moments just shows what kind of kid he is. We’re so proud of him.”
But the Lizards were not done there. Frank Kula scored on a wild pitch and Smith came across the plate on an RBI single from Lucas Marsh before the Hitmen were able to get out of the inning.
Horseheads, after just conceding five runs in the previous half-inning, managed to cut the Salamanca lead to two with a home run in the top of the ninth. But the knock failed to spark any sort of last-ditch comeback effort as the Lizards jumped back into the win column for the first time since June 21.
Salamanca, now with a 5-9-3 record, will hit the road to face the Olean Oilers on July 1 at 7 p.m. for their next game.
AT SALAMANCA
Horseheads 130 000 001 R:5 H:11 E:1
Salamanca 000 011 05X R:7 H:12 E:2
Hors: Lewis (3 SO, 4 BB), Duque (0 SO, 1 BB) and Vogel
Sala: Novak (6 SO, 2 BB), Gruber (1 SO, 1 BB), Kinney (0 SO, 0 BB) and Lasko
