The Rockets got a look at one of Walpole's three teams last Friday, and tonight they would face another squad from that youth baseball powerhouse. Walpole Central arrived at Greene's early and by the look of their warm-up routine were a disciplined squad. They seemed quite solid in the field when they took the diamond to finish their warm-up.
Apparently, they could hit, too. In the top of the first, after a leadoff pop foul and a great hustle by Matt G at third to make the catch near the visitor's dugout, Central was able to load the bases with one out. Two singles later, they were up 2-0. The Rockets sent Matt M to the mound to find a way out of the inning. He escaped the only way he could without further damage: by throwing strikes and throwing them hard. Very hard. He struck out the next two batters, and the Rockets would enter their half of the first down by only two.
Matt G led off for the Rockets and hit a shot to center field for a double. Jonah moved Matt to third with a single up the middle, and Patrick W walked to load the bases with nobody out for Alex, who was fresh off a 4-4 performance on Friday and ready for more. He worked a full count and then laid off ball four to walk in a run and put the Rockets on the board, 2-1. Calvin would even it up with an RBI single to left. All knotted up at 2 after one.
Matt M returned for the top of the second, and he was untouchable, striking out three of four batters faced--the last one on three pitches. He had a blazing fastball working for him and he was commanding. Dominant stuff from the young hurler.
The Rockets were not able to make any noise in the bottom of the second. Deuces through two.
Top of the third, Rockets sent Alex to the hill. An error put a man on, but Alex kept his focus and struck out the next two. He was in a groove and pounding the zone, yet Central's cleanup guy put fat metal on a good 0-1 fastball and sent it into right field. One scored. Central was able to get another in before Jonah stopped the damage with a heads-up play catching the runner off first base and making the tag to end the inning. Solid effort by Alex on the mound, but smart base running and good contact at the plate put Central in command again 4-2.
The Rockets would bounce back in the bottom of the third. Matt G hustled up the line to beat the throw for a leadoff single. He advanced to second on a passed ball. Alex then drove him in with a hard single to left, and it was 4-3, Central. Tom singled to right to drive in Alex and even the score at 4.
Alex came out again for the top of the fourth and got right down to business striking out the side and preserving the tie.
The tie would not last long, though. In the bottom half of the inning, Roman got a hold of a fastball and launched it over the center fielder all the way back near the basketball court in left center. No doubt about this one--especially with Roman's wheels--a four-bagger to put the Rockets back on top, 5-4. The solo shot was the first home run of the season for the Rockets, and it could not have come at a better time.
The fireworks would continue. Steven and Timmy hit back to back singles to put two on with one out for Matt M. Matt ripped one up the third base line and was safe at first, but the third baseman got Steven at third for out number two. On the next pitch, Matt got a good jump at first and took off for second, but Central's catcher made a perfect throw and Matt was out by a hair. The Rockets were able to reclaim the lead, though, and headed into the fifth up by one.
Patrick W took the hill for the Rockets in the fifth. The first two batters reached, one on a single and one on an error, but Patrick bore down and retired the next three in a row. The first was a chopper back to the mound. Patrick gloved it and threw to Calvin at first for the out. The second was a ground ball to first where Calvin scooped and stepped on the bag. The third was a hard liner to Roman at third. He made the catch to retire the side, but despite the Rockets finding their rhythm defensively, Central was able to bring 2 in and put themselves back on top 6-5.
The Rockets would battle back. Matt G and Jonah singled back to back to get things going in the bottom of the fifth. Two on for Alex, who fouled two off and then went yard, absolutely crushing one way back to deep center field right up to the fence--a 3-run dinger to put the Rockets on top for good.
8-6, Rockets heading into what would be the final frame. Patrick W remained in the game to get the save. He struck out two and got the third to ground to second where Ryan made a nice play to scoop it and fire to Calvin at first to end the game.
The Rockets fought back to even the score or take the lead in the first, third, fourth, and fifth innings. A phenomenal effort at the plate and very solid work on the mound.
Tonight's game ball went to Roman, who after struggling a bit on the mound in the first bounced back in the fourth to hit a home run and give the Rockets a 5-4 lead. The Hustle Award went to Matt G, who made a great catch on the run in foul territory for the first out of the game and who hustled down the line to beat the throw twice for two singles to add to his double that sparked the first Rockets' rally back in the first inning.
The Rockets travel to Metacomet Field this Friday to take on Medfield. See you there!
