ROCKY RIVER, Ohio -- Twenty-six hours or so after a Senior Day celebration, Pirate seniors Lexi Aguilar and Maire Kelly spurred a four-run rally with two outs in the last of the sixth, and the Maroon & White rode that rally to victory as Rocky River defeated Clearview, 6-3, in a
LaGrange District Tournament game.
Trailing 3-2 and batting after two teammates had struck out to open the home half of the sixth, junior Kate Tlapa singled up the middle to initiate the River comeback. That brought leadoff batter Maire Kelly -- who already had two hits in the game -- to the plate. Kelly doubled to center, scoring Tlapa to tie the bracket battle at 3-3. Junior Emily Satayathum singled in Kelly to vault the Pirates into the lead. After a Katie Mommers double and an intentional walk to Kelsey Murphy, Lexi Aguilar banged a two-run single to left, and that lifted the River cushion to three runs (6-3).
In the top of the seventh, Mommers took to the circle looking to close out a complete game and preserve the win. The junior hurler did just that, stranding a lead-off single after a strikeout, a ground-out, and a pop fly to second. For the game, Mommers allowed three runs (two earned) on eight hits and three walks. She struck out five and held the Clippers to a 2-of-13 clip with runners in scoring position.
And now, Mommers, Aguilar, Kelly, and the rest of the Pirates are headed deeper into the district bracket of the D-II OHSSA State Tournament. The Double-R's next game will also be at Pirate Field: River will host Padua on Tuesday (5 p.m. start time).
In Thursday's game, Rocky River (14-9) plated the first run when Murphy led off the second with her ninth home run of the season. The Clippers countered with two in the top of the third. The Pirates tied the game at 2-2 in the fifth when Maire Kelly singled, stole second, and came in to score on a Clearview error. The Clippers put three singles together to take a 3-2 lead in the top of the sixth.
For the game, Kelly went 3-for-4. Murphy (2-for-2, two walks) and Aguilar (2-for-3, walk) also registered multiple hits for the Pirates. Murphy's performance extended a hit streak: she has now hit safely in nine straight games. Eight of those nine games have been of the multi-hit variety, and over the streak she is batting .786 (22-of-28).
by Skip Snow