Brighton’s baseball team booted it around a bit in some key spots on Thursday afternoon, but it was punished for the miscues as Easton Fry came to the rescue late.
The senior slugger ripped a 3-run home run bottom of the sixth inning — his ninth of the season, surpassing last year’s total of eight — as Brighton rallied past visiting Alta for the 5-4 victory.
It was Brighton’s second straight late-inning win over Alta this week after prevailing 5-3 on Tuesday with a pair of runs in the top of the seventh. The Bengals will try to complete the series sweep at Alta on Friday as it’s just four wins away from a perfect Region 6 season.
Brighton committed three combined errors in the fifth and sixth innings which saw a 2-0 lead swing to a 4-2 deficit, but coach Mark Kleven said the response from his players is what he’s most proud of.
“We kicked it around a little bit. We gave them some opportunities, they took advantage of those opportunities, but we had an answer for everything they did, and that’s the sign of a baseball team that’s growing up. It’s maturing. It never quits,” said Kleven.
“They have never quit this year, unlike last year, we might have tucked our tails between our legs a little bit, and maybe rolled. This year, it’s not over till it’s over. So I’m proud of these guys for answering every time they have a chance to.”
Brighton hadn’t committed three errors in a game since a season-opening loss in Arizona to Queen Creek, Ariz.
Fry said trust within the team is a big reason, as the players have a short memory.
“Everyone knows that you didn’t want to boot the ball, and everyone’s got your back and be able to be in a position to succeed again, and you know that you’re good, and it’s gonna be OK,” said Fry.
Brighton led 2-0 after four innings courtesy of an RBI double by Cooper Scott in the second and then a sac fly RBI from Scott in the fourth, both times driving in River Schmidt.
In the top of the fifth, Brighton’s defense coughed up a pair of runs to Alta. Following a one-out single by lead off hitter Crew Scheel, a Brighton fielding error allowed McCoy Johnson to reach base as well — he reached base all four at-bats.
Brighton pitcher Miles Layton got the next Alta batter to strike out, and then got the next batter to hit a grounder to short. The throw to second base wasn’t on target, and rolled all the way into foul territory in right field which allowed both Alta baserunners to score.
In the sixth inning, another Brighton throwing error and then three walks and a hit batter allowed the Hawks to plate two more runs for the 4-2 lead.
“Sometimes things happen, and the timing happened to be good today, because it was at a moment we had a chance to answer, but it wasn’t as big a moment as it’s gonna be, but I think we can learn from that. So if it was gonna happen, I’d rather it happen now,” said Kleven.
It didn’t take Brighton long to respond in the bottom of the sixth. Schmidt led off the inning with a walk, and Scott followed with a single. Scott and Schmidt combined to go 4 for 5 on the day with two RBIs and four runs scored.
With runners at first and second and no out, Kleven thought briefly about having Fry bunt the runners over.
“I’m not gonna lie I thought about giving him the bunt sign, because this is a team first, and to be honest with you, he probably wondered if he was going to get it. But once he didn’t see it, he’s been dialed in all year, and he’s been taking good swings. Even some of the outs that he’s made have been great approaches,” said Kleven.
A home run was the last thing on Fry’s mind when he stepped into the box. He was just hoping for a productive at-bat after going 0 for 4 in the series up to that point.
“Throughout the whole series, I wasn’t really seeing the ball well, so I was just trying to get something that I could, put a good swing on. I knew I was a little anxious my prior at bats and kind of this whole series, but I knew I came up in a big spot and I needed to get something done, especially for the team,” said Fry.