The Gladiators started a second swing through some of their non-district opponents this afternoon with a 9-1 win over the Rocktown Raptors. To the visitors' credit, it was an improvement over the 15-1 rout the first time around and they actually had chances to make this one closer than it was.
But in the final analysis, a pair of four-run innings were more than enough for RHS to earn the win. Those two big innings were the third and fourth, but in each case Rocktown came back in its next at-bat and tried to retaliate.
In the Raptor fourth, with Riverheads having just taken a 4-0 lead, the visitors opened with two hits to exactly the same spot in left field. They then executed a perfect double steal to move the guys to second and third. But Riverheads bore down and only allowed one run to score.
Riverheads then removed all doubt with its next four-run inning, but Rocktown still did not go quietly as they loaded the bases in the fifth but left them stranded. By that time a spirited crowd had drifted over from the softball diamond (Lady Gladiators won that one 12-0) and a small but vocal visitor contingent did their best to spur on their troops.
The nine runs that the Gladiators scored might imply a big hitting night but they really just took advantage of some Rocktown errors and walks. Henley Dunlap did flirt with the fences a time or two, and down the stretch some of the subs got in and one of them (I think it was Asher Falls) almost had a homer in his only at-bat, but he settled for a solid double.
Pitching-wise, the Gladiators knew they have two more games this week, so they planned accordingly as Levi Dunlap worked four innings, Landon Gibson relieved him, and Logan Austin struck out the side in an impressive 7th inning display of control.
The Central Falcons come to town on Wednesday in what might be the closest game of the week. Riverheads won up there 9-5, but needed a big 7th inning rally to do it. So each team will no doubt remember that when they take the field Wednesday.
But in the final analysis, a pair of four-run innings were more than enough for RHS to earn the win. Those two big innings were the third and fourth, but in each case Rocktown came back in its next at-bat and tried to retaliate.
In the Raptor fourth, with Riverheads having just taken a 4-0 lead, the visitors opened with two hits to exactly the same spot in left field. They then executed a perfect double steal to move the guys to second and third. But Riverheads bore down and only allowed one run to score.
Riverheads then removed all doubt with its next four-run inning, but Rocktown still did not go quietly as they loaded the bases in the fifth but left them stranded. By that time a spirited crowd had drifted over from the softball diamond (Lady Gladiators won that one 12-0) and a small but vocal visitor contingent did their best to spur on their troops.
The nine runs that the Gladiators scored might imply a big hitting night but they really just took advantage of some Rocktown errors and walks. Henley Dunlap did flirt with the fences a time or two, and down the stretch some of the subs got in and one of them (I think it was Asher Falls) almost had a homer in his only at-bat, but he settled for a solid double.
Pitching-wise, the Gladiators knew they have two more games this week, so they planned accordingly as Levi Dunlap worked four innings, Landon Gibson relieved him, and Logan Austin struck out the side in an impressive 7th inning display of control.
The Central Falcons come to town on Wednesday in what might be the closest game of the week. Riverheads won up there 9-5, but needed a big 7th inning rally to do it. So each team will no doubt remember that when they take the field Wednesday.
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