Gators keep their playoff hopes alive
JEFFERSON – Jefferson-Morgan nearly walked away with a Section 1-A victory Friday, but visiting Geibel Catholic batted around in the top of the seventh inning to rally for a 9-5 win to keep the Gators’ playoff hopes alive. Geibel Catholic (8-5) is tied with Bentworth in third place at 6-3, one game behind second-place Carmichaels and two games behind section-leading California. The Gators have home games with Mapletown (Monday) and Frazier (May 10) and away games at California (Wednesday), West Greene (Friday) and Bentworth (May 8).
Jefferson-Morgan slips to 3-6 in the section and 4-9 overall.
After Jeff Baluch opened the seventh with a fly out to right, Mario Fragello singled up the middle. Tyler Charles walked on four pitches and Brendon Constantino worked the count full before receiving a free pass, the first two walks allowed by losing pitcher Terry Lawrence.
Geibel’s Tim Paterra broke the tie with a bases-loaded single and Gators coach pulled off a bit of the daring when he signaled for a suicide squeeze by Mike Ciarochi. With Charles barreling down the line, Ciarochi caught the Rockets’ defense by surprise. Not only did Charles score easily, but Ciarochi made first without a throw.
“We needed a run and I was confident Mike could get (the bunt) down,” explained Riggin.
The Rockets turned what could’ve been a disaster to a force out a second on winning pitcher’s Nick Molchan’s misplayed fly ball, but the Gators scored a run on the play. Sam Manna walked on a 3-1 pitch and Dean Lewandowski got an RBI the easy way with a walk on a 3-2 count.
The Rockets didn’t go away quietly in their last at-bat with Josh Lawrence and Noah Pust opening with back-to-back walks. Molchan settled down, improving his record to 3-1 with swinging strikeouts by Justin Falcon and Ryan Edwards and an infield groundout by Mike Mox after a visit to the mound by Riggin.
“I told Nick to do whatever you can to get a first-pitch strike,” said Riggin.
The key section game for the Gators had the earmarks of a blowout early on as the visitors scored runs on Jeff Baluch’s infield out and Fragello’s RBI single.
Jefferson-Morgan executed a double play in the second inning, but the Rockets had successive errors on balls hit by Ciarochi and Molchan, and Sam Manna made them pay with a home run over the right field fence. Manna stayed alive by fouling off a pitch at 1-2 and two more with the count full.
“We’ve had a couple of big innings to win our past two games,” said Riggin, referring to the Gators’ win at home Wednesday against Carmichaels. “That’s how Jefferson-Morgan beat us the first time.”
Fragello retired the first six batters he faced, but ran into problems finding the plate in the third inning. He walked Edwards to open the inning, and did the same with Mike Mox. Edwards stole third and came home on Cody Ketchem’s safety squeeze. Ketchem was out at first on a fine play by second baseman Lewandowski.
Matt Barbetta cracked a 2-2 pitch over the left field fence to draw the Rockets to 5-3.
Edwards’ one-out double scored Falcon with the fourth run, the Rockets’ second and final hit, and knocked Fragello out of the game after allowing four runs on one hit and four walks.
Molchan walked the bases loaded in the fifth with the tying run scoring on Noah Pust’s ground out. He struck out the side to end the threat.
It was feast or famine for Molchan with seven walks in 3-2/3 innings, but he struck out six.
“Today was one of those days when both pitchers couldn’t find the zone,” said Riggin, who added Fragello was scheduled to go at least five innings.
Jefferson-Morgan’s Dave Devicka was frustrated with the opportunities missed. The Rockets stranded nine runners over the final five innings.
“We got ourselves in a hole, but we battled,” said Devicka. “We had runners on, but didn’t come through in the clutch.
“We’re a young team. We start six sophomores and they make young kid mistakes.”
Riggin feels his team is starting to put things together as the season winds to a close.
“I’m pleased with the last couple games. Everyone is hitting the ball. The last two games we’ve turned it up a notch.”
Paterra and Fragello both went 3-for-4 with an RBI and run scored for the Gators.