Richie Dow, Kevin Johnson and Kurt Holden had RBIs in the fifth inning when Jonathan Law broke a 2-2 tie and went on to defeat Foran High, 8-4, in an SCC baseball matchup at Ken Walker Field on May 3.
Coach Greg Simler’s Lawmen are 9-2 on the season and he likes his team’s approach.
“Our pitchers have bought into to pitching to contact,” Simler said. “In high school baseball you have to minimize errors to boost your pitchers.”
Coach Garrett Walker’s Lions are 3-8 after dropping another tough decision.
“I try to preach to the boys that yes, we have eight losses (three by one run), but we’ve been in every game we’ve played this year.
“We’ve just got to figure out how to start the game a little better. If we could switch the first few innings with the last....”
Johnson helped himself with a lead-off home run in the top of the second, to boost Law’s lead to 2-0 after Jimmy Palmer had singled home Jake Rouse in the first inning.
Sam Olsson and Dillon Brown drew walks to start the Lions’ fourth inning, and Tyler Chacho doubled to the fence in left-center to drive in both runners.
Law took back the lead in its next at bat. Mack Taylor was hit by a pitch, Rouse doubled him to third and Dow singled him home.
After Dillon Rocha walked to load the bases, Johnson singled in a run. Horton’s fielder’s choice groundout plated the third run of the frame.
Law boosted its advantage to 8-2 in the sixth inning.
Taylor pulled a one-out pitch over the fence in right field for a home run.
Rouse walked and Palmer doubled him home and scored when Dow reached relief pitcher Adam Antonini with a double.
Foran rallied for two runs in the bottom of the seventh.
Tyler Kasuba singled for Foran’s fourth hit to start the rally, went to second on a wild pitch and scored on Brown’s two-out single.
Chacho doubled him across the plate and Johnson hit his third Lion to keep the inning alive, before he put his 10th strikeout in the book to end the game.
“Kevin threw last Wednesday (against Daniel Hand) and it was his turn in the rotation,” Simler said about pitching Johnson, who had shutout Foran 11-0 on April 12. “He always keeps us in the game.”
Walker said:
“Kevin’s a good pitcher and it’s never good to see a pitcher of his caliber twice in one year,” Walker said. “I trust my guys. Tyler (Chacho) had two balls off the fence. I liked the way we kept swinging the bats.
For starter Ian Zona, a right-hander, was hurt by two fielding mistakes in the first inning.
Rouse’s one-out single was played into two bases, and after Palmer’s RBI single, a wild throw on the cutoff allowed him to go to second.
After Palmer stole third, Lion shortstop RJ Jackson made a great play here with the infield in to deny Law a third run.
Jackson made a quick stab at Dow’s ground shot up the middle, and from the ground pegged Palmer out at home, with Olsson making the tag. Zona then struck out the next batter.
Rouse at third base and Palmer at shortstop led stellar infield play by Law.
After Foran plated two runs in the fourth and had the go-ahead run on second, Rouse at third base made a fine play on Joe Radecki’s roller and Palmer went to his right to snare a line drive.
With the bases loaded with Lions in the fifth and holding a three-run lead, Johnson had a strikeout and Rouse got the third out on a strong throw across the diamond on Chacho’s grounder to third.
Law’s only error to start the sixth put Radecki aboard, but Johnson notched two strikeouts and Rose made a great plays on Jackson’s roller to end the threat.
Foran’s Josh Mixie in left field went to the fence to bring in Johnson’s attempt at another home run with a runner on third base in the third.
Roundup
Kevin Johnson and Tim Maher each had three RBIs and Jake Rouse drove in a pair when defeated Branford High, 12-2, on May 5.
Nick Catandela came on in relief trailing 2-0 in the fourth to pick up the win.
Kurt Holden tripled and Rouse had a double.
Jonathan Law put together a 14-hit attack to defeat East Haven on May 2.
Johnson drove in four runs on two hits in the win over East Haven (6-5).
Rouse had four hits, including a double, with two RBIs.
Rob Griswold had three hits, including a double.
Mack Taylor drove in two runs.
Foran was edged out, 9-8, by Career High of New Haven on Friday. The Lions scored twice in the bottom of the seventh to force the extra frames.
Dillon Brown knocked home five runs and had two hits against Career (7-5), which almost lost despite leading 7-1 in the top of the third. Tyler Chacho, who had two RBIs, Tyler Kasuba and Josh Mixie, who doubled, had three hits each.
RJ Jackson had a double and a home run. Sam Olsson, Joe Radecki and Rob Lynch had hits.