Rockland entered Sunday’s tout with the Champions in hope to improve to 28-9 on the season. They did just that in an offensive explosion.

The Boulders got the day started with six first-inning runs. Jared McDonald opened the game with a double and Dylan Tice drove him in on a grounder to third. Joe Maloney hit a three-run blast to right-centerfield and Jon Smith hit a solo shot right after him. Newbie Mikael Mogues produced the sixth run on an RBI single.

As a result, Ottawa starter Yean Carlos Gil didn’t last long. He finished with four innings pitched, seven hits, six runs, eight strikeouts and two walks. The second inning was quiet before the Champions got three runs back in the third.

Tyler Nordgren went deep to begin the inning and Sebastien Boucher drove in Steve Nyisztor on a bomb to right. Ottawa would get two more in the fifth off Rockland ace Bo Budkevics.

Boucher added onto his phenomenal day with a two-run single which brought home Nyisztor and Carson Helms. Budkevics would end with six innings pitched, eight hits, five earned runs and four strikeouts.

The Boulders would respond with two runs in the sixth on a McDonald homer to right field and a run in the seventh on an Alex Herceg single. Those hits made it 9-5.

Things did get antsy in the eighth when Rockland reliever Alex Farina loaded the bases and allowed three runs, but Matt Kostalos came in and produced a strike’em-out-throw’em-out to keep it 9-8. The Boulders would add two runs in the bottom half to provide insurance for closer Mayckol Guaipe.

Cody Regis hit a solo shot and Smith singled home Maloney. Guaipe shut the door for the second-straight game to rack up his 11th save.

Rockland will resume action against the Cuban National team on Tuesday at Palisades Credit Union Park. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m.