FREMONT – The only problem with late-inning comebacks, once a team know it’s capable of making one, is the tendency a team may have to go back to the well.
Just 24 hours after the Little Giant baseball team scored three runs in the top of the seventh to prolong its game at Norwalk Wednesday night, Ross found itself trailing by three yet again in the bottom of the seventh Thursday against Mohawk.
Though the Little Giants gave it a good shot, unlike the night before, however, the Little Giants weren’t able to make the comeback, losing 5-3 to the Warriors.
Luke O’Brien
“We had plenty of opportunities earlier in the game to have bigger innings we just didn’t execute,” said Ross coach Jared King. “I don’t know if it was jitters being the first time in front of the home crowd, but we needed better approaches today. Our swings were not where we’d been the last week.”
Mohawk scored a run in the top of the seventh to extend its lead to 5-2. With their backs against the wall, Ross put its first two batters on base and scored a run on an RBI infield base hit by Luke O’Brien. Ben Mosser later walked to load the bases and put the game-winning run on first with two outs. But that’s as close as the Little Giants came as a strikeout ended the rally and sent Ross’ record down to 1-2.
Ross loaded the bases three times Wednesday with four at-bats producing zero runs.
“If you get bases loaded, and there were times early in the game, especially with less than two outs, there is no reason in high school baseball you shouldn’t be able to push at least a couple runs across,” Kings said. “Once again, we failed to execute and that’s something we’ll work harder on, getting our hands through the zone.”
Victor Jimenez
O’Brien had an outstanding day at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a double, an RBI, and a walk. Gabe Witt went 1-3 with an RBI and a walk and Mosser’s seventh-inning walk was his fourth of the day in four plate appearances.
Victor Jimenez got the start on the mound and though he gave up a two-run home run to the third batter of the game, he responded well and pitched 4.3 innings with four hits and one walk with five strikeouts.
“He did a very nice job battling back after that home run,” King said. “A lot of times, as a young high school kid, you can get down on yourself and I thought he did nice job battling back, not letting that get to him. There were times I thought he was getting up in the zone and allowing them to get their hands extended but then he once again would battle back and that’s a testament to the type of kid he is. He won’t get down on himself and will give you everything he has. I thought he threw well.”
Ross is scheduled to host Toledo Start Friday at 5 p.m.