FAIRVIEW PARK, Ohio -- Rocky River bounced back from a Monday home loss to Fairview with a 24-hours-later 7-0 triumph over the Warriors Tuesday.

The shutout at Bohlken Park -- on the combined pitching effort of Gavin O'Brien and Braedon Spies -- marked River's third shutout win of the season. Starting for the Pirates, O'Brien was afforded a 5-0 lead early after the visiting nine banged out four big hits in the top of the second.

O'Brien would go 5-1/3 innings, scattering four singles and a triple alongside two walks. The junior right-hander allowed just one leadoff batter to reach in lowering his season ERA to 5.62.

The Pirates added solo runs in the fourth and sixth innings. O'Brien, and later Spies for an inning-and-change, saw to it that those runs would be just window dressing. Spies stranded three Warrior runners in the bottom of the sixth and then pitched a scoreless seventh to seal the shutout.

For the game, Rocky River (6-12, 3-7 Great Lakes Conference West) and Fairview split 12 hits down the middle. The Pirates were errorless on defense.

Jacob Florentine and Joshua Mommers each reached base three times via walks. Anthony Ferchill, Spies, O'Brien, Thomas Rossi, Danny Capka, and Nate Mitchell logged hits. River was credited with eight stolen bases.

Thomas Rossi swiped three of those bags and extended a hit streak to six games with a 1-for-3 performance at the plate.

Rossi and the Pirates were defeated 6-2 by the Warriors on Monday. In a rivalry tabbed as the Battle of Wagar/210, legislate this year's findings thusly: call that west-side stretch of north-south pavement West 210th Street in Fairview; in River, call it Wagar.

The Sons of Blackbeard are scheduled to host Elyria in a non-conference game Thursday.


by Skip Snow

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