ROCKY RIVER, Ohio -- The Pirates cobbled together a five-run third and strong pitching, as Rocky River defeated Holy Name, 9-4, on a cold afternoon at Rocky River Field.

When second baseman Anthony Ferchill came to the plate to lead off the home half of the third, the Pirates and Green Wave were deadlocked at 2-2. The freshman doubled to start a Maroon circuit around the bags that would include hits by Michael DiFranco, Dillon Bandi, and Gavin O'Brien, and a walk by Braeden Spies. O'Brien's hit was the loudest: the sophomore shortstop cleared the bases with a triple to put River in front, 6-2. O'Brien came in to score the inning's fifth run on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Tommy Capka.

Starting pitcher Dillon Bandi worked around some control problems on the chilled afternoon but was still able to deliver an 8-4 lead to O'Brien in the top of the fifth. O'Brien went the remaining 2-1/3 innings to close out the game. He yielded nary a run on just one base hit.

Rocky River (5-4, 4-2 Great Lakes Conference 4-2) tacked on an insurance run in the sixth when Ferchill singled and came around to score his third run of the game on a Holy Name error.

For the game, Ferchill went 2-for-2 with a double. Bandi went 2-for-2 with a double and two runs batted in.

The Pirates have now scored 54 runs over their last six games.

Cold weather, warm bats.


by Skip Snow

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