ASHTABULA, Ohio -- Rocky River hung crooked numbers in the first four innings, as the Pirates defeated the Lakeside Dragons, 13-7, on Saturday.

Senior Dillon Bandi was staked to leads of 2-0, 7-3, and 9-3 through the Pirates' opening three innings, and the Double-R hurler would give the Maroon & White four solid innings overall. Freshman second baseman Anthony Ferchill reached base the first in each of the first three innings, helping to propel the visiting Pirates to their commanding 9-3 lead.

River's 9-3 lead was built, in part, on the strength of RBI hits by Samir Hasan, Michael DiFranco, and Nathan Mitchell.

Gavin O'Brien closed out the game on the mound. After Bandi had held the Dragons to three earned runs through four frames, O'Brien allowed three earned runs over innings five, six, and seven. Bandi logged seven strikeouts in the starting effort.

Ferchill registered three walks and as many runs scored in the non-conference victory. He also swiped two bases. DiFranco (2-for-2, two RBIs), Hasan (2-for-4), and Charlie Russell (two runs) were key run-producers for the Pirates, who stymied a five-game Lakeside win streak with the victory.

by Skip Snow

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