Webutuck rallies for 18-17 win at home
By John M. Benson
May 10, 2007
The Webutuck Warriors allowed the Pine Plains Bombers 12 runs in the first two innings to trail 12-5, then commenced their own merry-go-round on the bases for 13 more runs to overtake the visitors for the final 18-17 victory last Thursday, May 10.
“I am told that we broke a 29-game losing streak against Pine Plains in varsity baseball, so the boys were very excited about this comeback and this win,” said Warrior coach Gary Murphy.
With the win, the Warriors stayed alive in the race to qualify for the postseason.
Murphy explained the Warriors’ chances to reach the postseason, “We are 2-2 in our division, and next week, we play games at home on Monday and Wednesday against Millbrook and Rhinebeck. We need to win one of those games to qualify for sectionals. You have to have a .500 record in your division or against teams in the same class as you within your division. Right now, we are 1-1 against Rhinebeck and Millbrook and 2-2 in our division. Either way you look at it, we need to win at least one those two games next week because they are in the same class as we are and in the same division. If we win both of those games, we could still win our division, but we would need some help. Millbrook is 3-1 in our division and we are 2-2, so it is still possible, but the bottom line for us is that we have to win at least one of the games next week.”
Zachary Spencer shut down the Pine Plains offense for four innings, allowing them just one run in the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh innings to give his offense the opportunity to mount the comeback from the 12-5 deficit they were facing after the first two innings. Spencer contributed his share on offense with a two-run double. He ended the Bomber fifth and sixth innings with strikeouts, and caught a line drive, got a strikeout, and caught a pop-up for the final out to post all three outs in the Bomber top of the seventh.
“Spencer is just a sophomore, but he is always a guy who is very calm,” Murphy said. “Nothing bothers him, nothing rattles him. That is what you need in a situation like the one tonight, and he kept his composure very well. We had just a one-run lead at 18-17 as we went into the top of the seventh, and they had their two, three and four hitters coming up. Spencer pitched to four batters in that seventh inning. The first batter hit a shot right Spencer which he caught. He struck out the second batter. Then he walked the third hitter, and he stole second base, so they had the tying run at second base with two out. Spencer got the final batter on a pop-up near the first base line that Spencer caught himself.”
Then in a masterpiece of understatement, Murphy said, “We hit the ball very well today. We ended up with 20 hits in the game, so we were very happy with that. But we needed all 20 of them.
“The big hitter for us on the day was Steve Bradley, and we got the big home run from Alex Reda. Bradley was 4/5, and he had a two-run homer, scored three runs and drove in five runs. Alex Reda had the grand slam home run that won the game. He was our starting pitcher today. That was his only hit, but it was a huge hit, a grand slam home run in the bottom of the fifth inning. He was 1/3 with two runs scored and the grand slam home run.”
All of the Warriors were successful at the plate. Chris Matteo (30) was 2/5 with two runs scored. Matt Pomeisl was 2/4 with three runs scored. Jimmy Robertson was 2/5 with two runs scored. Zach Spencer was 2/3 with a run scored, with a double with two runs batted in on that double. Mike Schneider was 2/4 with two runs scored. Brian Whalen was 3 for 4 with a run scored, and he had two RBIs. Alex Murphy was 2/4 with a run scored and three RBIs. Grey was starting first baseman, and he was 0/1. Pat Argentina pitched in the second inning in relief. He was 0/1 with a run scored.
Webutuck scored runs in bunches, with the capper being the fifth inning when Bradley legged out a two-run home run, and Reda followed with his grand slam home run. With run on a walk with the bases loaded, the Warriros scored seven runs in the fifth inning to take the lead at 18-16,
First inning, Webutuck scored five runs to trail 6-5: Reda legged out a wild pitch on a strikeout. Matteo hit a line drive single to center field. Pomeisl singled to load the bases. Robertson singled to center field to score Reda. Bradley singled to center field to score Matteo and Pomeisl. Whalen singled to load the bases. Murphy singled to right field to score Robertson and Bradley
Second inning, Webutuck scored four runs to trail 13-9: Matteo and Bradley singled to center field, and Argentina loaded the bases with infield single. Schneider hit a hard line drive to center field to score Matteo, and Bradley scored all the way from first base. Whalen doubled to deep left center field to score Argentina and Schneider.
Third inning, Webutuck scored two runs to trail 16-11. Pomeisl, Robertson and Bradley all singled to load the bases. Spencer hit a long drive over the left fielder’s head for a ground rule double, scoring Pomeisl and Robertson.
Fifth inning, Webutuck scored seven runs to take the lead at 18-16: Pomeisl singled to left field. Bradley hit a long drive into the gap in left center field and legged it out for a two-run home run, Pomeisl scoring ahead of Bradley. Spencer singled to right field, Schneider singled to center field, and Whalen singled to left field to load the bases. Murphy drew a walk that scored Spencer from third base.
Reda stepped and crushed a line drive over the center fielder’s head. Schneider, Whalen and Murphy scored easily, and Reda slid in under the tag to complete the grand slam home run.
Webutuck led 18-17 after six innings, and Spencer shut down Pine Plains in the ninth to protect the lead and finish off the Webutuck victory.
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