Kontos killing it at plate for Owls

Timberlane九秀直播檚 Ryan Kontos. Timberlane defeated Salem 6-3 in baseball action Thursday afternoon.
Carl Russo/Staff photo

Timberlane九秀直播檚 Ryan Kontos base hit. Timberlane defeated Salem 6-3 in baseball action Thursday afternoon. 5/02/2024
Carl Russo/Staff photo

SALEM, N.H. 九秀直播� As a three-sport athlete at Timberlane Regional, senior Ryan Kontos has gone through his share of ups and downs.

In two of his sports, he had a lot of success. He was a two-way starting lineman on the football team. Then this past winter, he finished in fourth place at the New Hampshire Division I wrestling state meet in the 215-pound weight class.

His third sport is baseball. Two years ago as a sophomore, he broke in with a respectable .260 batting average. Last year as a junior, that slipped fifty points, finishing at .210.

Timberlane九秀直播檚 Anderson Petry reaches long but is unable to make the catch. Timberlane defeated Salem 6-3 in baseball action Thursday afternoon. 5/02/2024
Carl Russo/Staff photo

This spring has been a completely different story. He not only has climbed out of that funk, but he九秀直播檚 nearly doubled his batting average from a year ago. He finished 2 for 3 in Thursday九秀直播檚 7-4 win over Salem (1-8), pushing his average to .400, with 16 hits in 40 at-bats.

九秀直播淚t was all in my head. I was just overthinking too much,九秀直播� he said of last year九秀直播檚 struggles. 九秀直播淭his year I九秀直播檓 not thinking about anything and I九秀直播檓 just going up to there trying to make good contact. I九秀直播檓 using my legs a little more than before, but mostly it九秀直播檚 just clearing my head.九秀直播�

The Owls entered Thursday九秀直播檚 game with an 2-8 record, had been outscored 90-42 in the ten games, including two straight defeats to Merrimack (14-3) and Concord (8-7).

Certainly Timberlane needed this victory.

Timberlane九秀直播檚 catcher, Liam Kelley rounds third base to home to score. Timberlane defeated Salem 6-3 in baseball action Thursday afternoon. 5/02/2024
Carl Russo/Staff photo

And they got it.

Salem九秀直播檚 Owen Doherty is safe diving across home plate as Timberlane九秀直播檚 catcher, Liam Kelley makes the tag. Timberlane defeated Salem 6-3 in baseball action Thursday afternoon. 5/02/2024
Carl Russo/Staff photo

Kontos was the lone hitter for Timberlane to finish the game with multiple hits. He also ignited two rallies. He walked and scored a run in the top of the second as part of a three-run inning.

In the top of the sixth with the Owls leading 3-1, he led off by hitting a slow roller to third base and hustled down first base to beat the throw. That followed with two walks, two hits and a sacrifice fly which pushed the lead to 6-1.

Salem九秀直播檚 Ivan Colon puts the tags on Timberlane九秀直播檚 Matt Fitzgerald for the out as he attempts to steal second. Timberlane defeated Salem 6-3 in baseball action Thursday afternoon.
Carl Russo/Staff photo

九秀直播淚 was looking for a fastball and he threw me a change-up and it went off the end of the bat. Their third baseman was deep and once I saw him coming in for it, I knew I had a shot to be safe,九秀直播� said Kontos on his infield single.

In the top of the seventh, Kontos took an outside pitch and laced it over the first baseman九秀直播檚 head for a single which drove in Liam Kelley, who had doubled, to make it 7-1.

九秀直播淩yan has played a lot of baseball in his career,九秀直播� said Timberlane assistant coach Kevin Fitzgerald. 九秀直播淗e九秀直播檚 done a nice job over his four-year career playing three different sports for us. He九秀直播檚 having a great senior year and this is his third sport of his senior year and he九秀直播檚 having another good season so I九秀直播檓 happy for him and proud of him.九秀直播�

@JamiePote