ROCKY RIVER, Ohio (April 9, 2025) -- Rocky River earned a walk-off win in a Battle of the Bridge contest against Lakewood Wednesday. The Pirates clawed their way back from two mid-game deficits and eventually won the cold-weather, extra-innings conference opener -- River's first game in Cleveland West Conference play -- by a 3-2 score on an infield single in the bottom of the ninth.

Rees Heigle (5-2/3 innings pitched) and Michael Perry (3-1/3 IP) combined to allow just two runs (one earned) while scattering seven singles. The Rangers got solo runs in the fourth and sixth innings; both gave them one-run leads at the time. In each case, the River nine countered with a matching run.

But between the third and sixth frames, the Sons of Blackbeard stranded five runners in scoring position and had a sixth picked off at third base. The Pirates also came up short in the clutch in the seventh and eighth innings. Through eight, River was 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position.

But in the ninth -- after Perry had worked out of a minor jam in holding the Rangers scoreless, leadoff man Griffin Hill got aboard, stole second base, and then advanced to third on a ground-out. After two intentional walks and a strikeout, senior designated hitter Brady Patsouras strode to the plate looking for a two-out, game-winning hit. 

Patsouras fell behind in the count 1-2 but then made contact and bounced the ball to shortstop. He beat the throw to first while Hill raced home for the winning run. For the game, Patsouras went 2-for-5 with two RBIs. Hill and Matt Gutia also logged two-hit games for Rocky River (3-2, 1-0 CWC), which outhit Lakewood 11-7.

Hill filed two singles and two walks in upping his early-season on-base percentage to .588.

The Pirates are scheduled to host a non-conference battle at the Bus Yard on Friday (Olmsted Falls, 5 p.m.).

by Skip Snow

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