The Barrington High School baseball team opened the Division I season with a 9-7 loss to Central on Tuesday afternoon, April 5.

Eagles pitchers gave up nine walks and hit two batters during the season-opener. Barrington Coach Vin Scandura said those miscues made a big difference in the game.

“You can’t give 11 free passes,” Scandura said. “It turns the lineup over.”

Barrington senior Ned Shapiro walked four Central batters in the top of the first inning, but the Eagles managed to allow just one run. Shapiro opened the top of the second inning with a strikeout and was an out away from getting through the inning scoreless when a Knight crushed a double to deep centerfield, scoring another run.

The Eagles battled back in the bottom of the second inning. Quinn Murphy got hit by a pitch to start the inning and scored when JC Neimeyer blasted a triple to left-centerfield. Andy Fletcher was up next and hammered a single to center, scoring Neimeyer. 

The Eagles then loaded the bases with no outs, threatening to blow open the game. But Barrington’s next three batters failed to drive in any runs, and the inning ended with the score tied 2-2. 

Barrington took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the third. Harrison Cooley reached base and advanced to third on a grounder by Murphy. Then it was Neimeyer’s turn again, and the senior delivered with a sacrifice fly. 

But the Eagles struggled in the top of the fourth. More walks and some timely hits by the Knights dropped Barrington into a hole. By late in the game, the Eagles trailed 9-4, but showed some grit battling back. Barrington managed to load the bases and senior JT Celico delivered with a single that was mis-played by Central’s left-fielder. A subsequent throwing error on the same play allowed Celico to reach third, plating three runs and cutting the score to 9-7. 

Barrington had the tying run at the plate, but was unable to cut any further into the Knights’ lead. 

Scandura praised his team’s defense during the league-opener. 

“Our outfield is unbelievable and Gabe (Tanous) was stellar at shortstop,” Scandura said, adding that Matt Davis and Cooley made a number of solid plays at third base and second, respectively. 

The Eagles coach also made special mention of Celico’s effort in left field on a hard hit ball. The crushed line-drive rolled nearly to Federal Road, and Celico turned and sprinted after the ball. 

“He dropped his glove and ran after it,” Scandura said, adding that the move to drop his glove likely made Celico just a bit faster. The senior then hurled a strike to the cut-off, Cooley, who fired it back to the infield. The defensive play turned a sure-fire inside the park home run into a triple. 

“That was a great hustle play,” Scandura said. 

Barrington was scheduled to square off at Central High School in Providence in the second game of the home-and-away series on Thursday, April 7 at 4:15 p.m.