LAKEWOOD, Ohio (April 13, 2024) -- A three-run rally with two outs in the top of the seventh staved off a regulation loss and the Pirates then prevailed in extra innings, as Rocky River defeated Lakewood 5-4 in a Great Lakes Conference crossover clash between seven-win teams.
Trailing 4-1 with two outs in their half of the seventh frame on a sunny, chilly, breezy day at Lakewood Field, the Baseball Buccaneers got a single to right from shortstop Josh Mommers to get things going. Second baseman Anthony Ferchill followed Mommers with a two-strike single to left, and that brought the tying run to the plate.
That tying run would be in the form of senior right fielder Thomas Rossi, and Rossi smacked a pitch into center and motored all the way around the bases to tie the game, 4-4, on an inside-the-park home run.
After a scoreless bottom of the seventh, the Bridge Battle rivals then traded fine pitching and a few high-wire escapes over an eighth inning, then a ninth. Then a 10th, 11th, and 12th. Rocky River finally broke through in the top of the 13th, when Griffin Hill singled with one out, advanced to second on a two-out single by Rees Heigle, and then scored on an RBI single to center by senior first baseman Dan Capka.
Junior Joe Brant, who relieved Michael Perry after a sterling eight-inning outing (four runs allowed -- two earned -- on four hits and two walks alongside eight strikeouts), pitched his fifth scoreless inning in the home half of the 13th to seal the victory.
The triumph at Lakewood (7-2) keeps alive a season-opening win streak that has now reached eight games.
The Pirates (8-0) loaded the bases with nobody out in the top of the second but scored just one run after and infield fly and two ground-outs. The Rangers then jammed the bags in their half of the third, but they came through with a clutch hit by Cooper Russell and two productive RBI ground-outs. That lifted the home nine to a 4-1 lead.
Perry and Brant would hang zeroes the rest of the afternoon.
For the game, Rocky River outhit Lakewood 12-6. With a double and two singles, Russell filed half of those hits for the Rangers. Capka (2-for-5), Ferchill (2-for-5), Perry (2-for-6), and Rossi (3-for-5) logged multi-hit games for the Maroon & White.
Rocky River's next game is scheduled for Monday when the Pirates host GLC West foe Elyria Catholic at Rocky River Field.
by Skip Snow
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