By PAUL GOTHAM
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — A two-out rally in the fifth proved to be the difference.
Shane Marshall scampered home from second on a wild pitch to score the eventual game-winning run, and Webster Schroeder remained undefeated with a 6-1 victory over Corning-Painted Post (IV) in non-league action Saturday afternoon at Basket Road Field.
Trailing 1-0, Mike Masucci worked a two-out base on balls. Marshall followed and sent a line drive into the alley in left center field.
“He just left one in the middle, and I got the barrel on it,” Marshall said. “Once it was over his (the Corning Painted-Post left fielder) head I knew I was going looking for three or four.”
But the ball bounded over a waist-high temporary outfield fence, and Marshall had to return to second, Masucci to third.
“They don’t put up the real fence until after the high school season is done,” said Marshall noting the configuration of the multi-purpose field which hosts soccer games. “I had to return to second that was disappointing.”
After Tommy Baxter loaded the bases with another walk, Marshall took advantage of a full-count pitch to score.
“I knew I was going to get a big lead no matter what,” he explained. “He wasn’t hustling back to get the ball, so I was like I’m going to go for it because I think I can build up the speed to get home. I had a pretty good jump and got going pretty fast. I knew I could get it.”
Schroeder took advantage of Corning’s generosity and sent nine to the plate the following inning to take a commanding lead. Phil Ferranti went back up the middle with a two-strike pitch to cap a four-run frame with a two-run single.
“I was looking for my pitch the whole time,” Ferranti said. “I took some tough pitches on the outside corner and just trying to protect. Got a good pitch to hit and shot it up the middle.”
Ferranti scored Nick Vogt and Marshall on the play.
Tyler Candelaria led the stanza with a base on balls. Connor Bisaillon followed with a one-out walk. Vogt worked another free pass. After a wild pitch scored Candelaria, Marshall worked another walk.
“The patience at the plate, not chasing after pitches that were up in the zone really helped us out today,” Schroeder coach Matt Knight said.
Before converting in the late innings, Schroeder put the leadoff hitter aboard in the second, third and fourth frames without capitalizing.
“That was nice to have the leadoff guy, but then we couldn’t get him over into scoring position,” Schroeder coach Matt Knight said. “We didn’t execute very well today. In a really close game against a team like say Rush-Henrietta or McQuaid if you don’t get those bunts down, you probably lose those games. We got lucky today.”
Ben Mulhall held down the fort for the Warriors. The senior left-hander allowed one run on five hits over six innings.
“In these kind of conditions it’s important just to get ahead and control the count,” Mulhall said of the showers which persisted throughout the game. “I just kinda fought through it. Other than mud getting in the cleats it’s not really anything.”
Mulhall struck out five and retired seven of the first eight he faced. He improved to 3-0 on the season.
“The performance was his best so far of the year,” Knight said of the Schroeder starter. “He was in the zone all day.”
Peter Smith, a sophomore recently promoted from the JV, came out of the bullpen and worked a perfect seventh getting a pair of ground outs and a routine fly ball.
Zach Turner plated Corning’s only run of the game with a two-out RBI single in the fifth.
Ferranti finished the game 2-for-2 with two walks, three RBI and two runs scored.
Baxter, Candelaria and Masucci each walked twice.
Webster-Schroeder improved to 7-0 on the season.
*Updated 4/16 to include Phil Ferranti’s RBI total of three for the game.
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