The East Providence High School baseball club enters the back half of its 2024 slate in the thick of the race for first place in the Division II regular season standings and a top seed in the playoffs as the Townies ready to defend their league title.

East Providence entered this week with an 8-2 record. The Townies sprinted to wins in their first six D-II outings, then had a bit of hiccup dropping their next two contests (3-0 to Prout and 6-4 to East Greenwich) before winning both of their games last week 4-3 on the road against Middletown and 6-5 in extra innings against visiting St. Raphael.

"The two losses absolutely woke us up to the point where our practice intensity and focus have picked up immensely," said EPHS head coach Bobby Rodericks. "The positive pressure for underclassman to come up and perform from (assistant coach) Nick Karelekas’ well coached JV program has intensified as well. I feel fortunate to have these losses in April opposed to June. Our returning varsity players finally realize that 2023 is over and this is a much different season for us."

After exchanging the lead throughout the game and giving up the advantage late against St. Ray's at home, Nolan Lorenz plated Aidan Martins with the deciding run in the bottom of the eighth.

East Providence scored first with a run in the bottom of the second inning. St. Ray's got that right back, plating a tally in the third to tie the score, then took the lead by tacking on two more in the fourth.

The Townies later rallied to post a four-spot in the home half of the fifth, but the Saints again leveled the score with two runs in their last at-bat in the top of the seventh. The first two Townies flew out. Oliver Andrews then fell down 0-2, but reached on an infield error and advanced to second. Brian Rutkowski drew a walk as did Tyler Dicecco to load the bases, but the potential game-ending rally was halted on a pop-out.

In the extra frame, EP reliever Kyle Desrosiers threw just nine pitches to put the Townies in position to win the game. He got the first SRA batter to fly out to Nolan Lorenz in right field. He next allowed a single to center, but ended the Saints' chances by enticing a grounder back to the box then starting a 1-6-3 doubleplay to finish the frame, Kyler Lorenz with the put-out and assist from short to Dicecco at first.

In the bottom of the eighth, EP put two on with two out. Martins singled to left to lead off the inning. Tim Robitaille was later hit by a pitch. Nolan Lorenz capped the victory with a run-scoring single to center.

EPHS starter Dylan Annicelli threw into the seventh before being relieved by Tyler Quadros with one on and none out in the seventh. Quadros eventually loaded the bases with two out, but walked in the fourth SRA, charged to Annicelli, then the tying tally scored on a passed ball charged to Rutkowski behind the plate.

The Townies' first run in the second game after one out. Dicecco walked. Gavin Palombo reached on an infield single. Martin's fielder's choice grounder erased Dicecco, but Kyler Lorenz singled to center to bring Palombo in.

The Saints got the run back in the third with a pair of hits off Annicelli, then went ahead with two more in the fourth on a walk, an infield single, a ground out and a single.

In the fifth, EP went back ahead after scoring four times. Kyler Lorenz singled to lead off the inning as did Tim Robitaille next. The runners moved up on a passed ball and steal. Lorenz scored and Robitaille both scored when Colin Roche's grounder was booted. After a strikeout then a fielder's choice by Andrews, there were still two on, but with two out. Andrews eventually came around on a grounder by Rutkowski, who then scored on another Saints' miscue.

The no-decision left Annicelli with a 2-0 record and a 2.53 earned run average. He's struck out 33 and walked 12. Robitaille is 2-1 on the hill with a 0.575 ERA, 41 Ks and 13 BBs. Dicecco, in his first season on the team since transferring in from Hendricken, is 3-1 with a 1.34 ERA, 28 strikeouts and 12 walks. Desrosiers earned the other league win with his relief appearance against the Saints.

As the new week began, Robitaille was pacing the offense with a team-best .387 batting average on 12 hits and with six runs scored. Martins, the impressive freshman, is batting .379 with 11 hits, four runs scored and four runs batted in. Dicecco and Roche lead the team as the start of the week with five RBI each. Andrews has scored a team-high seven runs. Kyler (.286 AVG) and Nolan (.257 AVG) Lorenz have scored five times each.

Rodericks said he's been pleased with how the Townies have responded to playing as the reigning league champs, adding, "we have definitely held our own since everyone seems to be giving us their best game as we continue to have a lot of close games." EP has played five games decided by one and two others by two.

Rodericks referred to the team's pitching as "our saving grace for sure, but our hitting is finally coming along as a whole which keeps the batting order interesting as we are constantly changing it depending on who has the hot bats."

As for the rest of the season and into playoffs Rodericks said the key going forward "is to stay humble, play with intensity while maintaining control. It’s May, time to bear down and take each practice and game with purpose."