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Rox Rally Late to Take Two from Sharks

July 29, 2012 - Futures Collegiate Baseball League (FCBL)
Old Orchard Beach News Release


Vineyard Haven, Mass. - After knocking off the Martha's Vineyard Sharks, 10-9, in the 13th inning on Sunday afternoon, the Brockton Rox followed with another late-inning comeback later in the day, as they stormed back from a two-run deficit to upset the Sharks, 3-2, at Vineyard Baseball Park in Futures Collegiate Baseball League (FCBL) action.

Brockton (22-20) and Martha's Vineyard (22-19) opened the afternoon by completing their July 3rd contest that was suspended due to darkness in the 11th inning with the game tied at nine. After two scoreless innings of action, Mike Lupia (Indiana University of Pennsylvania) sparked the offense in the top of the 13th with a leadoff single. Moments later, Norton's Sean Ryan (Wheaton) ripped an RBI double to score Lupia and give the Rox a 10-9 lead.

Leading by a run, Michael Romano (North Carolina Central) slammed the door on the Sharks in the bottom half of the frame to earn the victory (3-1). The southpaw scattered just three hits out of the bullpen in the win, while walking none in three scoreless innings of relief.

On the other end, Matt Doyle (Harvard) was tagged with the loss (1-1) despite surrendering just one run on three hits in three innings of work.

In the second contest, the Sharks jumped out to an early lead after scratching a pair of runs in the third and fourth inning against Rox starter Evan Brown (Newberry). Nick Sanford (UMass-Amherst) scored on an error in the third to spearheaded the offensive attack, while Tad Gold (Endicott) followed with an RBI double in the fourth to score Karl Kapinos (Holyoke C.C.) and give the hosts a 2-0 lead.

After Luis Gonzalez (Concordia) opened the seventh with a leadoff double, Brockton finally got on the board against Martha's Vineyard starter Ryan Brockett (St. Mary's) thanks to an RBI groundout from Lupia that scored Gonzalez and pulled the Rox within one. An inning later, Brockton rallied to tie the game at two when A.J. Lardo (Maryland) scampered home on an RBI single from East Bridgewater's Greg Baggett (Bentley).

In the top of the ninth, after Gonzalez was hit by a pitch, Tanner Reibenspies (San Diego State) laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Gonzalez to second. Moments later, Westwood's Sean Amaru (Quinnipiac), who entered the game as a pinch runner for Gonzalez, came around to score the eventual game-winning run on a costly Martha's Vineyard error to give the Rox a 3-2 lead.

Westwood's John Sheehan (William & Mary) recorded the final five outs of the game in order to silence the Sharks late in the game. The right-hander earned his team-high fifth win of the season (5-1) and struck out three along the way.

Brown was solid on the mound for Brockton through six innings, allowing just runs on five hits and one walk, while striking out six. On the other end, Brockett chalked up seven strikeouts and allowed just one run on four hits and three walks in seven stellar innings of work.

Corey Laliberte (Wheaton) took the loss (3-3) after conceding two runs on three hits and one walk in two innings of relief.

Lardo and Gonzalez finished with a pair of hits to pace the Rox offensively, while Cale Hanson (Yale) racked up a pair of hits to guide the Sharks at the dish.

The Rox return home for a Monday night doubleheader with the North Shore Navigators at Campanelli Stadium, beginning at 5:05 p.m. Meanwhile, the Sharks head to Pittsfield to take on the Suns on Monday at 7 p.m.

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