Rockets shut out Monessen, 10-0
JEFFERSON — The Jefferson-Morgan baseball team broke open a close contest with five runs in the fifth inning and three more in the sixth en route to a 10-0 non-section victory in six innings Wednesday afternoon over visiting Monessen.
The Rockets, who have had four games postponed due to prolonged winter weather in western Pennsylvania, improved their overall record to 1-1. The game marked the second meeting between the Rockets and Greyhounds (1-3) this season. Monessen earned a 2-0 victory over Jefferson-Morgan back on March 22. However, this meeting went much differently for the team in Orange and Black.
“We definitely improved our hitting since our first game,” said longtime Rockets coach John Curtis. “We worked the count, got some base runners and worked them around well today.”
The game didn’t start out perfectly for the Rockets, however. After putting two runners into scoring position to start the bottom half of the first inning, the Rockets recorded three straight outs and were kept off the board. The game remained scoreless until the Rockets struck in the home half of the third inning.
The top of the order sparked a two-spot by the Rockets in the inning after shortstop Jordan Dicks and pitcher Austin Clark singled and reached on error, respectively. First baseman Josh Bissett and right fielder Dominic Cage accounted for the two RBI, despite not recording a hit.
The Rockets maintained the two-run lead until the fifth inning when they added five more runs. Clark started the inning with a double before catcher Logan Bowman singled Clark to third base to put runners at the corners with no outs. Cage added another RBI with a single to score Clark. Left fielder Jason Dotts brought in a couple more runs with a two-run single. Second baseman Dylan Davis brought home the final two runs of the frame with a two-run single of his own.
Dotts had the big hit again in the sixth inning to finish off the victory, and put the mercy rule into effect for the home team as he had a bases-clearing double to finish the scoring at 10-0.
“(Dotts) had a great day,” Curtis said. “He just put the bat on the ball.” The junior outfielder finished 3-for-4 on the day with 5 RBI.
The Jefferson pitching duo of Clark and Bowman did a good job keeping Monessen’s offense off balance all day. Monessen could not muster a run and only put together two hits on the afternoon. The Greyhounds didn’t get a base runner past second base. Clark picked up the win, pitching three innings and striking out four.
“Austin Clark is a good all-around player,” Curtis said. “He is such a good kid and practices hard. He understands what it takes.”
Curtis is hoping now with the weather behind him that his team can find consistency and get into a groove as section play starts Monday at Carmichaels. The Rockets host Geibel Catholic on Friday before commencing section play Monday against aforementioned Mighty Mikes.
“California and Camichaels are always the favorites in the section,” Curtis said. “We just have to keep working hard to improve.”