The Rochelle Hubs broke out the bats during their Interstate 8 Conference series opener against Ottawa on Monday evening, recording 14 hits with five players posting multi-hit games.
This item is available in full to subscribers.
To continue reading, you will need to either log in to your subscriber account, below, or purchase a new subscription.
Please log in to continue |
OTTAWA — The Rochelle Hubs broke out the bats during their Interstate 8 Conference series opener against Ottawa on Monday evening, recording 14 hits with five players posting multi-hit games. But a crooked number in the bottom of the third inning proved to be a difference maker for the Pirates, who scored seven runs and held off a fourth-inning rally to beat the Hubs 13-9.
Senior Ethan Goodwin and sophomore Brody Bruns each went 3 for 4 while combining for three RBIs to lead the Rochelle offense in the loss. Seniors Carson Lewis and Brandyn Metzger each recorded two hits and combined for three RBIs for the Hubs (7-16, 0-13 Interstate 8), who will continue their series against Ottawa with a Senior Night game on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m.
Senior Ryan Senne’s two-run double to left field capped off a three-run effort in the top of the first inning for the Hubs, who rallied for four consecutive two-out hits including an RBI single from Metzger. Rochelle turned a 1-6-3 double play in the bottom of the first inning, where Ottawa (13-13, 5-7 Interstate 8) scratched two runs on the double-play grounder and a sacrifice fly and loaded the bases with two outs before a groundout to the shortstop ended the frame.
Lewis delivered an RBI single in the top of the second inning, giving Rochelle a 4-2 lead before the Pirates erupted for seven runs on two hits and six walks in the bottom half. RBI singles from Ottawa’s Colt Bryson and Brendyn Fuchs highlighted the seven-run frame for the Pirates, who went ahead 9-4 entering the top of the fourth inning, where the Hubs rallied for four runs on one walk and five hits including three consecutive RBI singles from Bruns, Goodwin and Metzger.
Clinging to a 9-8 lead, Ottawa tacked on two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning, hitting two singles and capitalizing on an error to carry a three-run lead into the top of the fifth inning. Goodwin’s second RBI single of the game made the score 11-9 entering the bottom of the fifth inning, where a fielder’s choice grounder from Jacob Rosetto provided insurance for the Pirates, who added another run on Bryson’s RBI single up the middle in the bottom of the sixth inning.
