Baseball Review // Rainbow Graphics, 4 M&T Bank, 2 at Legends Field, Newington CT May 31st 2024 (GHTBL)

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Official Box Score ::: https://ghtbl.org/event/graphics-at-mt-bank

Additional photos can be found here :::

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This game was Opening Day 2024 for both the Rainbow Graphics and M&T Bank.  Both teams came close to winning that trophy last season and we can only hope that they have added missing pieces to the puzzle to push them to that place this season.    This does become quite clear in this game and regardless of which team you wanted to win this game it was just a good old fashioned game of baseball.

For one thing, we had Evan Chamberlain pitching a complete game for the Graphics while Camden Murphy went five innings for M&T.   This is a playoffs type of pitching match up, so to see it in Opening Day did feel like a treat.  

Right in the first inning, Joey Rios singled onto base and a deep bomb to center field by Brendan Lynch gave the Bankers a 2-0 lead.   Now, this Brendan Lynch homerun was certainly special because of how far it went.   I had never been to this Legends Field before, but the outfield is deep.  Players on both teams were hitting shots where it felt like if we were somewhere else- even at the Newington High School- they'd be long over the fence.   I hope someone got a measurement on that one.

That two run homerun by Brendan Lynch would be the only score for M&T during this game.  For the next six innings, Evan Chamberlin would keep them at bay and demonstrate why he is one of the best pitchers in the game today.

In the top of the third inning the Graphics would tie it up.   Matt Costanza would score the first Graphics run of the game on a wild pitch.   After a deep double to center field by Stanley Cipkas, he would eventually come around to score as well and tie the game at 2-2.

The top of the sixth inning saw Ryan Skaff in to pitch for M&T Bank, the first time he is pitching not only for the Bankers but also against his former team.   Eric Anderson was the key player for this sixth inning as he doubled, moved to third on a bunt and then a sac fly out to right field scored him to give the Graphics the 3-2 lead. 

Ryan Laubscher went 4-4 in this game and it was his debut for the Rainbow Graphics.  I know last season the Graphics added some bats to their lineup and this might be their missing piece.  Laubscher hit one of those deep center field shots in the top of the seventh for a double, but it could've been a homerun elsewhere.  Travis Salois would single him in, giving the Graphics a 4-2 lead heading into the final inning for M&T.

If you have the chance to see Evan Chamberlain pitch, you definitely should take it.  Even into the seventh inning he was still throwing strikes past the M&T batters.   In some ways, not to discredit what he did in the early innings, but it almost felt like he was pitching better as the game went on.  It almost felt like the more innings he was in there, the more dangerous he became.

But this was the first game for both these teams.  Both went in 0-0 and the reality of baseball is that someone had to lose.  I don't discredit M&T Bank at all because they were always within reach.  When not playing against Evan Chamberlain, two runs could've been enough to win them a different game.  M&T has also added some new faces to their lineup, which will hopefully begin to click in the upcoming weeks.

M&T Bank actually went on to defeat the East Hartford Jets on Sunday night while Rainbow Graphics bested the South Windsor Phillies.  Tonight, at Muzzy Field in Bristol CT, both the Rainbow Graphics and South Windsor Phillies take on the Bristol Greeners in a doubleheader.  The Phillies are looking for their second win and to break above the .500 mark.  The Graphics are 2-0 while the Greeners are 0-2 so this game promises to be a battle of will.