(POMONA, NY)- The Rockland Boulders (15-9) and the visiting Sussex County Miners (12-12) resumed play of their suspended doubleheader game from May 21 at Palisades Credit Union Park. The game was a 7-inning affair, followed by another 7-inning contest approximately 30 minutes after the first game.
The game continued in the top of the first inning with the Miners on top 1-0, and a runner on third base. Miners’ third baseman Nick Giarraputo lead off for the Miners and singled to right field, bringing in Elvin Soto from third base to put the Miners up 2-0 through the first half inning. Jared McDonald, Junior Arrojo, and Mike Schwartz went down 1,2,3 for the Boulders in the bottom half of the first.
Boulders catcher Marcus Ndiffer squeezed out his 4th home run of the season down the left field line just over the 323’ mark in the bottom half of the second inning to cut the Miners lead in half, 2-1.
The Miners hopped back on the board in the third inning. Ryan Dent hit a standup triple to center and was brought home by Jay Austin the next at bat on a groundout to first. The Boulders responded quickly in the bottom half of the inning. Boulders third baseman Riley Palmer hit his first career Boulder blast, with an absolute bomb to right center field to leadoff the inning, cutting the lead to a score of 3-2. Jared Schlehuber, the designated hitter for the evening, continued his solid season, by stepping up to the plate with two outs and the bases loaded and popping a 2 RBI single to shallow right, bringing home Brenden Webb and Junior Arrojo for his 19th and 20th RBI of the season to put the Boulders on top 4-3.
The Boulders power continued to show in the fourth inning. Right fielder Brenden Webb registered his second hit on the evening with a single to right. Webb would cross the plate for the second straight inning and his second run of the night, when Jared McDonald hit his team leading 6th homerun of the season just inside the right field foul pole to put the boulders on top 6-3. This was Rockland’s third homerun of the day. Junior Arrojo followed up with a walk after J-Mac’s long ball. Arrojo scored all the way from first the next at bat as Mike Schwartz hit a deep double to right field. The Boulders ended the fourth inning up 7-3.
After a quiet fifth inning, Sussex County surged a comeback in the top half of the sixth inning. Steve Nyisztor opened up the inning with a single. Michael Antonio advanced Nyisztor to second with a single of his own. Elvin Soto brought home Nyisztor and Antonio with a triple to left. This was the Miner’s third triple of the game and Soto’s second three-bagger of the game, with the first triple coming back on May 21st in the bottom of the first (Soto started this game on third base).
The Boulders had an answer once again for the Miner’s in the bottom of the sixth. Riley Palmer led off the inning with a single and was advanced to second via a sac bunt by Brenden Webb. Palmer scored on an RBI single by Jared McDonald, who was punched out trying to stretch his hit into a double. After 6, the Boulders were still on top by a score of 8-5.
Hector Nelo came in for the save in the top of the seventh inning and was successful. Boulders starting pitcher Jarret Martin recorded his first win of the season. With the 8-5 win, the Boulders move to 15-9, on the season, winning their last four home games, and the Miners drop to 12-12. The Boulders will start the second game of this doubleheader in approximately 45 minutes and will face Sussex County again tomorrow June 15th at 6:30pm at Palisades Credit Union Park.