April 24: a big day for baseball, both at the high school level and professionally as well. In the afternoon we were at McCaskey for a non-divisional game with Reading High, this was a makeup game from back in March. The Red Tornado took a 1-0 lead in the first when Nate Lutz singled and touched home on Andrew Carlisle's sacrifice fly. Single runs in the second, third and fourth gave RHS a 3-1 advantage, in the home fifth JPM took the lead back in one of the strangest innings you might ever see. Jayden Quinones started it with a walk and Danny Santana was hit by the pitch, after the first out Carlisle was hit by the pitch to load the bases. Shanahan Padin and Niko Bergeron were both plunked to force home Quinones and Santana to tie the game, after the second out Chris Ruggiero took one for the team forcing Carlisle home with the lead run 4-3. Three runs without a base hit scoring on a walk and FIVE hit batsmen, it's doubtful anyone had that on their bingo card. The Red Tornado held on for the 4-3 win, Padin worked the final three innings in relief of Bergeron and earned the decision. It's the ballclub's second win on the season (they won one on the road in March), the next home game I'm present for is the last one on May 4. We were done by 6:15 or so, I made my way to the ballpark on North Prince Street. The Stormers were opening their twenty-second season hosting the Long Island Ducks, just as the game was beginning it started to rain lightly. The Stormers had little offense on this night, they trailed 6-0 in the seventh before getting on the board courtesy of a Tyler Miller double and Tyler Robertson's sac fly. Luke Albright started and took the loss with Cole Patten, Phil Diehl, Alex Garbrick and Matt Stil in relief. The series continues through the weekend although Saturday could be doubtful thanks to the weather. Take care, thanks for reading.
