By MICHAEL CHILDERS, CJ Correspondent Commonwealth Journal
Somerset —
The N. Thannoli Rattlers were the only team to beat the Monticello Banking Company Knights in the Somerset-Pulaski Babe Ruth League’s regular season, and Wednesday night wasn’t much different. In the league’s tournament Championship game at the Ward Correll Sports Complex, the Rattlers took advantage of nine Knights errors to win the title game by a final of 7-3.
The game went back and forth early on, but the Rattlers went ahead in the end to win the Championship.
In the top half of the opening frame, the Rattlers, coached by Kenny Spear, scored one run to take a 1-0 lead. Henry Lorman was walked and Jacob Denney reached base on an error when Thomas Howard came up to the plate. Howard had one of the strangest hits - he didn’t even swing at the ball. He bent down, then the ball hit the bat and went forward. Knights pitcher Dusty Phelps gathered the ball up and hurled it to first for the out, however, Lorman scored on the play. Denney was thrown out in his attempt to steal home.
In bottom of the first, the Knights received a huge lift from D. Phelps, who homered to left field. Phelps’ blast knotted the game up at one apiece.
Will Hislope, who got on base with a single, scored the Rattlers’ second run of the contest in the second frame. Hislope would score on an overthrow on contact by Austin Wilson, giving the Rattlers a 2-1 lead.
The Knights, coached by Lyn Turpin, made contact all night long, but all of them seemed to go right into the gloves of the Rattler defense.
The Rattlers plated one run in the third frame, thanks to a pair of Knights errors. Denney would give his club a 3-1 advantage after scoring on a wild pitch.
Jake Hudson and the Knights would match their opponent in the bottom of the inning with one run. Hudson, who reached on an error, would scoot all the way to third on a single from Taylor Ruby. Hudson would steal home to cut the Rattler lead to a mere run.
Both teams loaded the bases in the fourth frame, but neither could score a run.
Howard would score on another in the fifth, giving the Rattlers a 4-2 lead.
The Rattlers plated two runs in the sixth to run out to a 6-2 advantage. A Denney RBI double would score Lorman (walk), then Denney would score on a RBI single from Howard.
In the seventh and final inning, the Rattlers added another run to their total with an RBI double from Hislope. Kenny Spear would scored the final run for the Rattlers.
In their comeback effort, the Knights managed only to get one run in the final inning of play. Chris Lynch would cut the lead to 7-3 after scoring on an RBI double from D. Phelps. A double play would really hurt the Knights chances in the seventh, as the Rattlers went on to win the game 7-3.
Vincent Boils, the Rattlers starting pitcher, picked up the win, giving up one hit in two innings of work. Denney was credited with the save, giving up one hit in as many innings on the hill. Lorman came in to close out the game for the Rattlers. He struck out three in three innings of work.
For the Knights, D. Phelps was credited with the loss. Jones, Lucas Turpin, and Jacob Phelps each made an appearance on the mound.
D. Phelps had a huge night at the plate for the Knights, going two for three with a home run and a double. He also plated a run and drove in two runs.
Hislope was the only player with multiple hits for the Rattlers, going two for four with an RBI double.
The Knights didn’t help out themselves, as they stranded ten runners in this one Meanwhile, the Rattlers left nine runners on-base.
Errors were a plenty in this one, as the Knights had nine miscues, compared to the Rattlers’ three.
Rattlers 1 1 1 0 1 2 1 - 7 5 3
Knights 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 - 3 5 9
WP - Boils (Rattlers).
LP - D. Phelps (Knights).
SV - Denney (Rattlers).
RBI - Howard 2, Denney, Hislope (Rattlers). D. Phelps 2 (Knights).
2B - Denney, Hislope (Rattlers). Jones, D. Phelps (Knights).
