Coming into the last week of the regular season, the Rockets had locked up either first or second place in SYBL Region 3 and a spot in the playoffs. Wellesley had clinched third place and a trip to the playoffs as well.
Both teams were in. Tonight's game was not going to be about the playoff picture. It was going to be about two very good teams battling it out for six innings. It was going to be about good baseball.
Top of the first... With two outs, Will Dorion sent an 0-1 fastball on a rope to center field for a single. Steven Donovan ripped one to left to put two on. But Wellesley was able to nail it shut after that.
Needham starter Jack Morgan made quick work of the bottom half. He got one to fly out to center fielder Matthew Dougherty, and two more to ground to Sean Greene at second. All these guys do is make plays. Three up, three down. No score after one.
Joe Dateo, showing good patience with two outs in the top of the second, worked a free pass. Tom Berkley shot a hard ground ball past the second baseman, and the Rockets had two on with two outs. Dateo advanced to third. On the first pitch to Jeffrey Hohler, Berkley took second on a half steal and no throw. Two in scoring position with two outs for Hohler. The next pitch was right in his wheelhouse, and Hohler drove it deep--very deep--all the way back to the greenery in center field. Had this ball not bounced into the vegetation for a ground-rule double, Hohler would easily have three and possibly four. The umpire held him up at second. Dateo scored. Berkley scored, and the Rockets were on the board first with a 2-run lead. Eric Gage then ripped one up the line past the third baseman, and Hohler came around to score. A 3-run second had the Rockets out in front early.
A lead-off single and two ground ball outs put up a run for Wellesley in the bottom of the second. But Morgan was sharp, throwing strikes, and in command of the game. He slammed the door shut to limit the damage at 1 run, and lead his Rockets into the third inning with a 3-1 advantage.
Morgan would contribute to the cause offensively as well with a long double to left to get things going in the top of the third. Will Dorion moved him over with a sac fly to center, and then he scored on an errant throw to third. 4-1, Rockets.
In the bottom of the third, Morgan remained in his groove and retired the side in order. He was brilliant tonight, yielding only 1 run on 1 hit over 3 innings of work.
Top four, and the Rockets were looking to gain a little breathing room. Aidan McGaugh shot a hard ground ball into right field. Tom Berkley stepped in with McGaugh on first and two out. He worked the count full and put fat metal all over the payoff pitch, launching it on a line back to the fence in right center for a triple. McGaugh scored, and the Rockets were up 5-1.
But Wellesley would fight back and put two on with nobody out in the bottom of the fourth. A long gap shot to left center threatened to clear the bases, but William Popper got a good jump, lined it up and made the catch for out number one. The next batter shot one hard towards the hole at short. Steven Donovan ranged, picked, and fired to Jack Morgan at third to get the lead runner. Two away. A pair of singles brought in 2 runs for Wellesley, but Aidan McGaugh would end the rally with a leaping grab of a hard line drive towards center field.
Needham escaped the fourth with a slim 5-3 lead. Wellesley added one more in the fifth, and we had a 1-run ballgame going into the final frame.
Good Wellesley pitching retired the Rockets in order in the top half. Good Rockets pitching on the part of Matthew Dougherty recorded two quick outs in the bottom half...
5-4, Rockets, with 2 outs in the bottom of the sixth. One out away from victory. Runner on first. A fly ball finds the gap in left center. It's good for a double, and the run scores to tie the game at 5. Another gap shot rolls onto the playground for a ground-rule double walk-off. 6-5, Wellesley is the final.
While we always want to beat Wellesley, there wasn't much riding on this particular game for us. We played good baseball. We got better. We are a little hungrier now heading into the playoffs.
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