In the second game of the series between the Rockland Boulders and New Jersey Jackals, the two teams lit up the scoreboard again as the Boulders won 15-7. Justin Topa (4-0) was the Rockland starter and gave up seven runs (five earned) in 5.1 innings of work to secure the win. New Jersey’s starter Lee Sosa (2-1) was hit hard for nine runs in 6+ innings for the loss.
The Boulders dug themselves an early hole in the game by committing four errors in the first inning. The leadoff hitter Johnny Bladel started things off for the Jackals with a single. Rylan Sandoval followed that up with another base hit to centerfield but centerfielder Jared McDonald fumbled the ball allowing Bladel to move to third.
Conrad Gregor then grounded a ball to the third base side that went through Cody Regis’s legs, allowing the first run to score. Luckily, the Boulders defense was able to throw out Sandoval looking for another base at third for the first out. Similarly, Brian Burgamy grounded a ball through shortstop Mike Fransoso to keep the inning going.
The next batter Brian Joynt singled bringing home another run after right fielder Mike Montville could not secure the ball. However, Montville redeemed himself during the next at bat with an incredible diving catch to rob Richard Stock of a hit. Taylor Brennan then drove in Gregor for a third run with a single.
Rockland stayed confident with a productive bottom of the inning. McDonald led off the inning with a walk and a stolen base and came home on an RBI single from Cody Regis to get the Boulders on the board. Regis would later score on an RBI double from Jon Smith to cut the Jackal lead to 3-2.
New Jersey scored again in the third inning after Burgamy walked and moved to third on a Joynt double. Stock later brought him home with a sac fly to increase the Rockland deficit at 4-2.
As they did throughout much of the last game, the Boulders quickly answered the Jackals in the bottom of the inning. Regis got on base first with a double for his second hit of the game. Then, after hitting two home runs last night, Joe Maloney smashed another shot over the short porch in right field to tie the game at four.
In the top of the fifth, New Jersey’s Gregor began the inning with a leadoff single. He would then score on a home run from Stock to give the Jackals a 6-4 lead.
Rockland responded again in the bottom of the inning. McDonald hit a lead off double and scored on a single by Fransoso. A base hit by Regis followed by a single from Maloney to bring home Jared McDonald tied the game at six. Jon Smith walked to load the bases and Montville recorded an RBI with another walk to give Rockland the lead.
New Jersey brought in relief pitcher Isaac Gil but the Boulders continued to score. Joe Bennie brought home Maloney on a single and Smith scored on a groundout by Aaron Wilson giving Rockland the 9-6 lead.
In the top of the sixth, the Jackals continued the slugfest. Yariel Vargas reached base via a walk and scored on a double by Bladel to cut the Boulder lead to two runs. Reliever Alex Farina came on and stopped the bleeding getting the last two outs of the inning.
Rockland blew the game open in the seventh putting up a four spot in the bottom of the inning. Smith led off with a walk and moved to third on error by Stock who threw the ball into right field trying to pick the left fielder off at first. Montville then walked followed by an RBI single by Bennie to drive home Smith.
Wilson laid down a bunt to advance the runner and beat out the throw to load the bases. McDonald would later hit a groundball and reached on an error by Sandoval. As the next batter, Fransoso drove in Bennie and Wilson with a single. Maloney later added another two runs with a double off of new pitcher Evan DeLuca to bring home McDonald and Fransoso expanding Rockland’s lead at 15-7.
The Boulders improved to 17-6 while New Jersey is now 12-9 early in the season. The two teams will continue playing against each other as the series moves to New Jersey for tomorrow and Sunday.