The Cranston East Thunderbolts (9-8) came out with a 3-2 victory over the North Providence Cougars (8-9) to secure a spot in the playoffs in walk-off fashion on Monday afternoon at Cranston Stadium.

The ’Bolts didn’t make the playoffs last season, compiling a 2-16 record in Division I-A games, but this season is a different story. This season, they are 8-8 in league games, and with this win, their overall record is above .500.

It was a pitchers’ duel from beginning to end on Monday, with East’s Chrisdione Mendez and North Providence’s Eric Arenas taking the bump for their respective teams.

“I think he did a great job,” East head coach Michael Walsh said of Mendez.

The top of the seventh inning for Mendez was a tough one. The first batter in the top of the seventh, Arenas, started the comeback off by beating the throw to first.

That was crucial, as Paul Rizzo delivered a game-tying, RBI single shortly after.

However, Mendez was able to maneuver his way out of the inning with the score still knotted at 2.

“Be smart at the plate,” Walsh said of his message to the players prior to the seventh. “As long as you can get one baserunner, something can happen.”

That message resonated with Anthony Ramos, who delivered a two-out, walk-off hit into the gap, plating Alex Martinez.

“This is a playoff-type game,” Walsh said. “Knowing that this win will get us into the playoffs, I think they have to take this going forward that every game is going to be this type of game.”

Both teams came out swinging in the first inning. The Cougars were the first to get on the board. With two outs, the No. 4 hitter, Zach Kenney, hit a double to center to bring leadoff hitter, Anthony Postacrino, home.

However, North Providence didn’t have the lead for long. The first two hitters for East, Jake Frost and Justin Neary, each singled. Frost came around to score on a wild throw by the catcher to second base to tie the game. Martinez was then walked, and Jake Palazzo followed with an infield hit. With the bases loaded and nobody out, Ramos notched an RBI single to give East a 2-1 lead.

Neither team had scored since the first inning going into the seventh inning. Both East and North Providence were able to get themselves out of jams successfully until the top of the seventh, with East up 2-1.

Rizzo’s hit in the top of the seventh brought the score even at 2-2, but Ramos’s clutch hit in the bottom half of the inning earned East the victory and a spot in the postseason.

The Thunderbolts are currently sixth in Division I-A, and have the chance to climb up in the standings. North Providence is currently seventh in Division I-A. East was looking to continue its winning ways against Lincoln (10-6) on Tuesday, but results were unavailable at press time.