Rams rally in final at-bat for 5-4 victory
Ringgold teammates surround Robert Boyer as he touches home plate after blasting a solo home run during Monday's WPIAL Class AAAA quarterfinal playoff game against New Castle at W&J's Ross Memorial Park.
Edward K.Thompson
Ringgold’s Chase Angotti shows emotion after the Rams scored a run during Monday’s WPIAL Class AAAA quarterfinal playoff game against New Castle at W&J’s Ross Memorial Park.
Ringgold's Kolby Bubash strokes a double during Monday's WPIAL Class AAAA quarterfinal game against New Castle at W&J's Ross Memorial Park.
NORTH FRANKLIN TWP. — After New Castle scored two runs in the top the seventh, the Ringgold baseball team responded with a bases-loaded, walk-off walk by Robert Boyer for a dramatic 5-4 win in the WPIAL Class AAAA quarterfinals Monday afternoon at Washington & Jefferson College’s Ross Memorial Park.
“It’s been a crazy year for us,” Boyer said. “A win like this just shows our team’s character. We are never out of a game. We have had a lot of ups and downs this season, but we don’t let anything bother us. We are a family and the team picks each other up.”
The Rams (15-3) will now play Greensburg Salem, who upset top seed Blackhawk, 1-0 in nine innings, in the semifinals on Tuesday at Burkett Complex. First pitch is 7 p.m.
This will be Ringgold’s first semifinal appearance since 1999.
“It was a seesaw game today,” Ringgold coach Don Roberts said. “We’ve been doing this all year long. We never get too down on each other and we always make a comeback. This is such a great group of kids that always fight. I’m just so proud of them.”
Ryan Varley pitched a superb game, yet received the no decision. In 6.1 innings, the senior righty allowed two runs on four hits with 12 strikeouts and five walks on 98 pitches.
“Ryan was just phenomenal today,” Roberts said. “He was on. He was able to locate his fastball and his slider in those opening innings. We told him to attack the hitters and to just eat up the strike zone.”
Chase Angotti blew the seventh-inning save by allowing two runsd, but picked up the win after the late game heroics in the bottom of the frame.
After a walk, an infield error and an intentional walk loaded up the bases in the seventh, Boyer took a four-pitch walk for the game-winning RBI for the Rams.
“Honestly, I wasn’t looking for the walk,” Boyer said. “I was just focused in and looking for my pitch. I went up 2-0 and I knew I had to be patient. It’s not the way we wanted to win (after having the lead in the top of the seventh), but a win is a win in the playoffs.”
Mark Torsello was tagged with the loss in relief for the Red Hurricanes (12-10).
New Castle grabbed an early 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning after starting pitcher Nick DeRosa launched a two-run double.
The fourth-seeded Rams countered with three runs in the bottom of the third inning. Koby Bubash slammed a RBI triple, followed by back-to-back RBI singles by Luke Winterbottom and Anthony Vavasori.
Before the seventh-inning drama, Ringgold pushed its lead to 4-2 in the fourth after a solo home run by Boyer.
“I was leading off the inning, and I just wanted to get on base,” Boyer said. “My goal was to put contact on the base and let the defense try to play it. I was really surprised it got out of here and over the fence.”