Yesterday at 3:30 PM, the Uxbridge Spartans baseball team survived a tense first-round playoff game, edging the Oxford Pirates, 3–2, in extra innings. Uxbridge entered as the No. 9 seed with a 15–5 regular-season record; Oxford was seeded No. 24 at 10–10. Uxbridge scored early, grabbing two runs in the second inning. The Spartans held Oxford scoreless through the first three innings, mixing off-speed offerings and inducing weak contact. In the fourth, Oxford finally broke through with consecutive hits that drove in two runs and tied the game at 2-2. From that point, both bullpens settled in, with Uxbridge’s relievers working through the late frames, shutting down the Pirates. Defensively, the Spartans turned several routine plays to prevent any Pirates’ rally. In the bottom of the eighth, senior Camden LaChapelle laid down a textbook squeeze bunt that scored the winning run, sending the home crowd into a frenzy. Uxbridge now travels to face No. 8 Clinton (14 – 6) on Thursday at 4 PM. Clinton relies on fundamental defense and a deep rotation, so Uxbridge will need timely hits and late-game relief to neutralize a strong pitching staff and keep their season alive.
