Brady Machamer dives across the plate to score on a wild pitch for the Colts.

By Sean Reilly 

Luke Stronski has been wielding a hot bat this spring for the Northeast Expos, and his performance on Saturday at Diamond Nation continued that trend.

Batting third in the lineup and starting the game in right field, he went 2-for-3 with five RBI, including a game-ending three-run triple in the bottom of the fourth, when the Expos gained a 14-4 decision over the Colts, in an all-Pennsylvania pool play matchup in the 12U Williams Harley Davidson Tournament in Flemington. 

It was a good bounce back effort for the Expos, who couldn’t hold on to a lead and fell to the Diamond Jacks Super 12U, 10-9, earlier in the day. Stronski walked twice in that game.

“It was good to come back and win this one,” Stronski said.

The Expos also received strong pitching, led by starter Liam Gill, who allowed one hit — a three-run home run by Myles Brody with one out on the fourth that cut the Expos’ lead to 7-3. Avery Brace entered after the next two batters walked, and got the Expos out of the inning.

The Expos scored twice in the first inning and added five more in the third to command a 7-0 lead.

Stronski’s RBI single to left field with one out in the bottom of the first opened the scoring, and Luke Silinski scored the other run from third on a throw to first after a dropped third strike.

C.J. Stevenson led off the third inning by reaching on an error. He stole second and moved to third before Spencer Schrier walked and stole second. That sent up the top of the order, and Jack Bernardi hit a two-run double to right field. Davin Favata followed with an infield single, with Bernardi holding at second. Silinski hit an RBI single, and Stronski grounded out to shortstop to score Favata. Silinski scored the seventh run on a wild pitch with Brace at the plate.

In the bottom of the inning, Sam Callen and Vince Curly each walked with one out for the Colts, before Brody walloped a home run to deep left center. The Colts added another run in the frame when Brady Machamer walked and came around to score on a wild pitch.

The Expos ended the game by scoring seven times for a 10-run lead in the home half of the fourth. Mike Adomiak delivered the first run with an RBI groundout to shortstop, another run scored on a wild pitch and Schrier hit an RBI double to right field for a 10-4 score.

Bernardi, who went 2-for-3, then hit his second RBI double to right field. Favata and Silinski walked to load the bases for Stronski. He responded with the three-run triple to the alley in right center which ended the game.

“I stepped up in the box this game,” he said. “I went up in the last at-bat just trying to get a hit, and it felt good to get one like that.”

The Diamond Jacks Super 12U wound up clinching a first-place finish in the pool by defeating the Sparta Cyclones, 13-1, in their second game.

The Expos will conclude play at the tournament by playing the Cyclones on Sunday morning.

The Colts opened play with a 6-0 loss to Sparta on Saturday, and will finish with a matchup against the Super 12U on Sunday.