The Barrington High School baseball team came within one strike of winning the first game of the Division II state championship series on Monday night, June 10, at McCoy Stadium in Pawtucket.

Barrington held a 2-1 lead against Mount St. Charles in the bottom of the seventh inning. Barrington's relief pitcher George Promades gave up a lead-off triple to start the seventh, but settled down and retired the next two batters on a pop-up and a strikeout. 

Against the next batter, Promades went ahead in the count with one ball and two strikes, and then delivered what appeared to be the final pitch of the game, painting the outside edge of the plate.

The umpire felt otherwise and called it a ball, and the second-chance proved to be enough for the Mounties who capitalized by plating the tying run in the seventh and then scoring the game-winner in the bottom of the ninth inning.

Barrington coach Vin Scandura said both teams played very well throughout the series opener. 

The Eagles and Mounties are scheduled to play Game 2 on Wednesday afternoon at McCoy and Game 3 is tentatively set for Thursday at RIC. 

The Eagles built a 1-0 lead early in the opener when Matt Macaluso hit a ball into the gap, scoring Jack Kriz. Barrington then went up 2-0 on Josh Leadem's sacrifice fly. Henry Johnson nearly expanded Barrington's lead when he roped a shot to right field with runners on second and third, but the Mounties' outfielder caught the liner and ended the inning.

Leadem pitched well for the Eagles through the first six innings.