By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Another Rec Center junior baseball doubleheader, another split decision when it comes to diamond supremacy. On May 24, the Wendy’s Phillies defeated the Bridgeman Dentistry Rockies, 8-3, in the curtain raiser. The Rockies prevailed in the nightcap, 9-4.
Game 1 Notes
- Early pitching proved a factor in this game, keeping the game all but scoreless through the first three innings-plus. In the top of the 1st inning, Daniel Jones was on the mound for the Phillies and struck out three of the four batters he faced. The only blemish was a walk to his Rockies’ counterpart, Jack Bridgeman.
- After striking out the first two Phillies batters he face in the bottom half of inning No. 1, Bridgeman, the Rockies’ starting pitcher, gave up a double to Jones, walked Luke Rothrock, and hit the next batter to load the bases — but was able to wiggle out of the inning without the Phillies scoring a run by getting a popup out to the shortstop for out No. 3.
- In the Rockies’ top half of the second inning, John Wilson-Mills rapped a one-out double, stole third base and came home on a Phillies’ fielding error to score the game’s first run. Jones hit the next batter, Noah Brown, who then stole second base, but was left stranded when Jones struck out the next two batters to end the scoring threat. In the bottom half of the 2nd inning, Bridgeman had only a little trouble in retiring the side.
- Jones racked up three more strikeouts in the top half of the third inning, the Rockies unable to get much going. Eli Lee was able to reach first base on an Phillies’ fielding error and stole both second base and third base, but was left stranded when Jones got out of any trouble by striking out both Thomas Dieters and Bridgeman to get out of the inning.
- The bottom half of the third inning looked promising for the Phillies, who had two of their first three batters get on with a walk and a hit-by-pitch, but Bridgeman was able to pickoff Gabe Pruess at first base for the first out, struck out Wyatt Luna for the second out, and then got a force out at second to end the inning.
- It was three up and three down for the Rockies in the top half of the 4th inning, but they added a pair of runs in the top half of the fifth when Lee and Dieters sliced a single and a double, respectively, after Brown and Eli Relder had taken advantage of a fielding error and a walk. Unfortunately for the Rockies, two runs in the 5th inning were not enough to offset the eight-run explosion by the Phillies in the bottom of inning No. 4, highlighted by a triple off the bat of Wyatt Luna and an earlier double by Luke Rothrock.
- In total for the game, the Phillies were able to reach first base with six walks, four hit-by-pitch and five fielding errors. They only stole one base, but also advanced runners with three passed balls or wild pitches.
- In total for the game, the Rockies recorded four stolen bases, but the Phillies’ pitchers, led by Jones, demonstrated overall better control with only two walks, one hit-by-pitch, and one passed ball.
Game 2 Notes
- Holden Watson started on the mound for the “home team” Rockies in the nightcap, allowing only one run in the first inning after walking Daniel Jones. After getting on, Jones promptly stole both second base and third base, then scored on a fielding error.
- The Phillies pushed across another run in the second inning, then two more in the third when Daniel G. and Daniel Jones rapped consecutive singles ahead of a triple to the fence by Luke Rothrock.
- Those four runs did not prove enough, however, as the Rockies erupted for eight runs in the third and fourth innings. Eli Lee ripped a run-scoring double in the third inning and John Wilson-Mills followed with a bases-loaded single to bring home two more. In a wild 4th inning, the Rockies manufactured four more runs on four stolen bases around a passed ball and three fielding errors by the Phillies, highlighted by triple off the bat of Thomas Dieters.
- In total for the game, Phillies pitchers threw four passed balls and hit one batter while walking six batters. The Rockies took advantage with five stolen bases.
- In total for the game, the Rockies’ pitchers issued six walks, had only one passed ball, picked off a runner at first, while the Phillies managed just three stolen bases.
The next Rec Center junior baseball action at Field No. 3 will be Tuesday, May 30, 5:30 p.m, when the Wendy’s Phillies take on the Oil Exchange Cardinals, then on Wednesday, May 31, 7 p.m., Ashe County will face the Bridgeman Dentistry Rockies.
