Burlington Central rockets past Richmond-Burton

May 6, 2014

By Drake Skleba
Senior Writer

BURLINGTON - In game one of the Big Northern Conference Eastern Division series between perennial conference powers, host Burlington Central defeated Richmond-Burton, 7-3.

Senior right-hander Danny Gerke (6-0) pitched and hit the Rockets past the visiting Rockets from Richmond Burton (11-7; 7-3). With the win, Burlington Central (13-7, 6-1) opens up a commanding two-game lead in the loss column over second-place R-B.

With Burlington Central trailing 3-2 in the in the bottom of the fourth, Gerke gave himself the lead for good,when he launched a bomb over the right field fence, scoring senior third baseman Corey Schuver, who had walked ahead of him.

“He (Kaska) fell behind 2-0 and I was looking for a fastball to drive out,” said Gerke.

Burlington Central plated a pair in the bottom of the first inning to jump out to a quick 2-0 lead, highlighted by an RBI triple from senior Reed Hunnicut.

Richmond Burton answered with three runs in the top of the second, when the first four Rocket batters singled, two by the bunt variety. Sophomore Trevor Anderson, senior Jake Tiso and senior Brian Wells drove home the three Rocket runs of the inning.

Gerke took a 7-3 lead to the top of the seventh. Gerke walked the first two Rocket batters and Burlington Central head coach Kyle Nelson went to his closer Jonathan Frederickson. Frederickson used only one pitch to retire the first R-B batter, on a pop-up back to the mound. The second out was recorded on a fly ball to right-fielder Tanner Scott and the final out of the game was made on a spectacular play by Schuver, who stopped a smash off the bat of R-B senior Drake Talles, who he threw out at first to wrap up the third save in three opportunities for Frederickson.

“Danny Gerke really kept us in this one in the second inning when he allowed only three runs. It easily could have been five or six,” said Nelson. “Then he had the big swing to win it for us. Jonny Frederickson has been outstanding out of the pen for us all year.”

The two clubs will meet again in Richmond on Thursday at 4:30.

Burlington Central rockets past Richmond-Burton

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