Walkoff With Their Eighth Straight Win
In another close game with Rinaldo Sporting Goods, Rienzi and Sons improved their overall season record to 8-3 with a 9-8 walk off victory on Friday, May 25.
In a rain-shortened five inning contest, Rienzi had to be resilient in order to win their eighth in a row.
Rinaldo scored one run in each of the first two frames, but Rienzi answered back each time with four in the first and one in the second. August Larsen led of with a double deep to left center, Sam Navarra laid down and beat out a bunt up the third base line. Nicolas Hutson was walked to load the bases and Aidan Mooney drove in the first run with an infield grounder. Frank Navarra forced in another with a bases loaded walk.
In the second, Derek Portalatin walked and come around to score on several stolen bases. Rienzi ran themselves out of a big inning when Rinaldo caught a runner stealing third with two out and left Larsen holding the bat at the plate.
Portalatin got the start for Rienzi and limited Rinaldo to two runs on no hits through two with two strikeouts. In the top of the third, Rienzi pitch- ers could not find the strike zone and allowed six runs on nine walks without a single hit. Rinaldo had taken an 8-5 lead and left Rienzi with some work to do.
Sam Navarra was able to stop the rally in the third and settled down to pitch a scoreless fourth. The big defensive play came from catcher Nicolas Hutson, who, with two out and bases loaded fielded a slow roller up first and threw out the batter at first on a very close play to end the inning.
Larsen, Sam Navarra and Hutson would each score in the bottom of the third to knot the score at 8-8. They went quickly in the fourth inning, setting the stage for an exciting fifth and final inning.
As usual, Rienzi handed the ball to Frank Navarra to close the door. Navarra struck out the side leaving Rinaldo stranded with the bases loaded.
With the bottom of the order due up on for Rienzi, they would have to rely on those batters to plate a single run and produce a victory or end in a tie. Kevin Klaar led of the inning and quickly fell in an 2-0 hole, but was able to work out a walk which proved to be critical for Rienzi. Klaar was able to move to second on a stolen base.
The next batter up was Kyle Conlin, who with a 1-1 count drove a ball to left field that would bring home the speedy Klaar and ensure the victory for Rienzi. Conlin was 1 for 2 with the game winning RBI.
Rienzi, now at 8-3, looks to avenge an early season loss to Cutrone’s Lawmen tomorrow, Friday, June 1.
