By NATE DISCAVAGE
ROME, N.Y.- After dropping game one 6-3 and staring down a 9-3 deficit in the bottom of the 10th inning, the Rome Generals stormed back to win game two of Monday night’s doubleheader 10-9 against the Syracuse Jr. Chiefs in New York Collegiate Baseball League action at Delutis Field.
Randy Torres (Keystone College) sent the few remaining spectators home happy after hitting a walk-off RBI-double at 1:11 a.m. to cap a ridiculous comeback by the Generals.
After five straight scoreless innings by both teams, Syracuse erupted for a six-run top of the 10th.
A combination of walks and singles put the Jr. Chiefs ahead 5-3 with one out in the inning before Sam Little (Ithaca) hit a bases-clearing three-run triple to blow the inning open.
Instead of sulking at the seemingly insurmountable deficit, Rome took advantage of walks and errors to get runners on base. As Marc DiLeo (Mercyhurst College) stepped up to the plate with two outs, his team was still trailing 9-7. A clutch two-run double quickly changed that and stunned the Jr. Chiefs as they suddenly found themselves fighting to stay in the game.
Both teams traded two more scoreless innings before Torres’ heroics ended the game.
The day was not a complete loss for Syracuse as they pulled off a convincing game one victory 6-3 behind four innings of scoreless relief from their bullpen and late-game clutch hitting.
Tristan Dacey (Salve Regina University) led all batters offensively for Syracuse going 5-for-7 with two doubles and three runs. The sophomore from Wyckoff, New Jersey, reached base seven times for the Jr. Chiefs.
Torres had three hits (two doubles), thee RBI, two runs and a walk for the Generals; DiLeo raised his average to .429 early in the season.
This was the second time in three games that Syracuse blew a large lead in extra innings. After rallying from a 13-1 deficit to tie the game with the Cortland Crush on June 3rd, the Jr. Chiefs blew a four-run lead in the bottom of the 13th inning to lose 18-17.
The Generals (2-3) will stay in Rome on Tuesday to host the Crush (5-1). First pitch is at 7:05 p.m.
Syracuse (2-3) will return home to prepare for the Sherrill Silversmiths (1-4) at 7:00 p.m.
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