The final three days of April featured the final two home games for McCaskey Baseball. On Monday defending league champion Manheim Township visited and won via the mercy rule 16-0. JPM had four baserunners on two hits and two walks but never came close to touching home plate, Andrew Carlisle took the decision with Niko Bergeron finishing in relief. Wednesday afternoon was Senior Day, with the 4:15 start time the festivities took place after the game (it's a little easier for working parents to be there at 6:15 rather than 3:45). Matthew "Mateo" Rodriguez, Josue DePaula, Eli Morales, Adrian Rodriguez and Elliott Fluck were honored as the Class of 2025 in ceremonies following a game that started as a clunker and ended as a classic. Through the top of the fourth visiting Cedar Crest led 7-1, the lone run for JPM scoring in the second on a wild pitch. In the home fourth Niko Bergeron's RBI hit made it 7-2, a two-run single by Josh Reyes in the fifth brought the Red Tornado to within three at 7-4. CC added an insurance run in the sixth, in the bottom half JPM roared back with a four-spot to tie the game. One run scored on a wild pitch, Bergeron's second RBI hit accounted for another, Elliott Fluck's RBI double and a run-scoring single from Adrian Rodriguez completed the uprising. Starting and soon-to-be winning pitcher Eli Morales was on the mound in the seventh and struck out the side, in the bottom half the sunlight of Sweet Victory finally shined upon the Red Tornado. With one out Bergeron batted and drilled a double to the base of the wall in left-center, Josue DePaula batted next and bounced a seeing-eye single to right field scoring Niko with the walk-off winning run. It's well-documented how the club has struggled (just 2-16 with two road games remaining) but at least for one glorious afternoon at McCaskey on the final day of April the club finished its home schedule with a win everybody will remember. Take care, thanks for reading.
