Facebook
Google
Catcher Paul Beers had a three-RBI triple in the fourth, then scored on a throwing error to extend the Raider lead to 5-2.
The Reservoir Gators were looking to erase the sour memory of an early spring match-up when the Atholton Raiders edged out a 6-5 victory in the last inning. However, their second match-up yielded similar results as the Raiders took a 6-4 win and swept the two-game set.
Both teams looked sharp early on from the mound, Reservoir's Kyle Alexander and Atholton's Jonathan Thews both got the starts and kept the game scoreless for the first three innings.
The Raiders threatened to take a lead in the third when outfielder Corey Stirmer put the ball in the gap between center and right with a man on second, but the Gatotor's centerfielder Tyler Steele made a show-stopping, diving grab to keep Atholton off the board.
"Corey [Stirmer] just came up in the third inning, he got a hold of one and hit it pretty well," said Steele of the defensive effort. "I started to slip at first, but I got my balance and made a diving catch."
Reservoir fed off the defensive momentum with the bats in the top of the fourth. Third baseman Corey Mantanona hit a single up the middle that was followed by first baseman Jake Saunders' walk. A sacrifice bunt by designated hitter T.J. Pipik put runners on second and third.
Thews forced the second out of the inning, but right fielder Dan Bushong placed a Texas-leaguer over the head of third baseman Matt Collier and brought in two runs. The scoreboard read 2-0 in favor of the Gators in the fourth.
Atholton broke out of their offensive shell in the next half-inning. Shortstop Kory Britton got a two-out RBI to score courtesy runner Kalvin Seamonson.
At a deadlock, catcher Paul Beers got what can only be described as an "unconventional grand slam". With the bases loaded, the sophomore punished the ball to right-center for a triple to clear the bases, then scored on a throwing error for a 5-2 lead.
In the top of the fifth, Reservoir mounted a two-out rally and chipped away at the lead when Mantanona got his second hit of the game and scored Steele to make it 5-3
Atholton put up one insurance run off the bat of Stirmer in the sixth, and would need to hold their 6-3 lead to secure the win. Thews came back to start the seventh, but ran into trouble when he put two men on with no outs.
The Raiders looked to Acker for relief, but hit further troubles when an error loaded the bases. Acker, however, stepped it up and forced a strikeout.
Following the out, Reservoir's Saunders belted a pitch to centerfield for what looked like trouble, but right fielder Kalvin Seamonson got on his horse and made a spectacular catch in stride to keep it at a one-RBI sacrifice fly.
"I saw it was going to be a deep hit and close to the fence," said Seamonson, "I just kept running back, trying to get back there as fast as I could and I was able to get there before it dropped down."
Acker then forced a weak pop-out and got the save. The starter Thews pitched six innings, striking out four and allowing four runs to get his third win of the season.
With the bats, Atholton got a three-RBI game out of Beers, who now leads the team with fifteen. Jared Hand continues to swing the bat well, going five of his last seven (.714 batting average) with today’s 2-for-3 performance.
"They were a good team, they came out ready to play," said the junior second baseman. "In the beginning we didn't take advantage of some opportunities but in the end we came through and started hitting the ball."
Reservoir has dropped their second to the Raiders and fall to 8-6. Kyle Alexander pitched four innings and allowed four earned runs in the loss before Ben Cameron and Jake Saunders finished the game out of the bullpen.
"It was a good game, we had our opportunities to come out and put the game away," said Reservoir coach Adam Leader. "We put a little fight in at the end, but we got to make sure we play hard every inning, limit our mistakes and we'll win these games."
Mantanona paced the offense against Atholton, going 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI.
The Raiders have two games left before the playoffs, with their final home game Friday against Long Reach. Reservoir will play Mount Hebron next and look to finish off strong.
Click here to view box score
