Hillsborough uses hot bats to beat Gaither 10-6

March 7, 2015

By Justin Burgess

Florida Area Scout

BRANDON— In a game that featured a lot of action from both teams, Hillsborough was able to pull away to a 10-6 win over Gaither. Hillsborough was led on the mound by Jared Jensen (2015 RHP) who pitched a complete game with four earned runs and five strikeouts. 2017 3B Nick Romano went 3-4 with an RBI and 2017 1B/3B Tim Elko went 2-4 with an RBI to lead the way offensively for the Terriers.

Hillsborough took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Elko drove a line drive single up the middle to bring in a run. However, Gaither was able to respond with two runs in the bottom half off the bats of 2015 OF Rafael Ayala and 2017 OF AJ Drisdom who both had singles.

After 2017 OF/P Jared Cande led off the top of the second with a double, he was sacrificed over to third and then driven in on a groundout to short. 2016 INF Rodnie Bernard then drove in a run of his own and reached base on an error and 2015 OF Marco Alvarez brought in the third and final run of the inning with a sharp single. The Cowboys couldn’t answer in the bottom of the inning so the Terriers led 4-2 heading into the third.

Romano led off the top of the inning for Hillsborough with a single to left, and after a fielder’s choice, 2016 OF Sam Burnett drove in a run and reached safely on an error. The Terriers picked up one more run in third to go ahead 6-2. Gaither was able to get one back this inning when 2015 INF and Alcorn State signee Izayah White led off with a single and was driven in by again by Ayala. The fourth inning was scoreless for both teams.

Down 6-3 in the bottom of the fifth, the Cowboys pulled within one run when Drisdom brought in a run by reaching on an error, stealing second, and was driven in by a single off the bat of Jay Rodriguez (2015 3B/1B). In the sixth, the Terriers failed to score again and Gaither took full advantage by picking up a run in the bottom half and tying the game off the bat of Ayala for his third RBI.

Tied at six apiece, Hillsborough took the air out of Gaither by putting up four runs off four singles, a squeeze, and one hit-by-pitch. The Cowboys managed to get two runners on in the bottom half but could not score, giving the Terriers the victory 10-6.

Statistical Highlights

Hillsborough Gaither

Jared Jensen: 7 IP, 4 ER, 5 K’s Izayah White: 2-2, 2 BB, 3 SB 4 runs

Nick Romano: 3-4, RBI Rafael Ayala: 3-4, 3 RBI’s

Tim Elko: 2-4, RBI

Hillsborough uses hot bats to beat Gaither 10-6

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