By PAUL GOTHAM
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Greece Athena sent nine to the plate in the fourth inning and blew open a tie game on their way to an 11-6 victory over the Aquinas Li’l Irish in non-league action, Saturday afternoon.
Ryan Ballard and Mike Ruta connected on back-to-back run-scoring hits as Athena pushed five across the plate in the frame.
“That’s been our biggest bugaboo this year,” Athena head coach Jason Bunting said. “We get guys on base, and we don’t get the big hit. Both Ryan and Mike came through with big hits there.”
Jagger Nucci reached on an error to start the inning, and Jamie Shoemaker followed with a sacrifice bunt that was mishandled. Two errors on the same play brought home the first Trojan run of the inning.
Ballard took over from there with an RBI triple to straight center.
“Coach came up to me during that at bat and told me whenever I see a fastball just attack it,” the junior catcher said. “Sit back and lay off the high stuff because I love the high stuff. I found a nice curve ball, hung a little bit. Just drove it.”
Ruta plated Ballard with a single through left side of the infield.
“He just gave me fastballs outside, and I didn’t hack at them at first,” Ruta explained. “I had two strikes, choked up and pulled the first inside pitch I saw.”
James Sciortino kept the hit parade going with a double inside the third-base bag. Jake Kimble brought in a run with a ground out, and Casey Saucke singled through a drawn infield to cap the scoring.
“That was really nice to see,” Bunting added. “It kinda opened up things from there.”
Jorge Oropeza made the margin stand. The sophomore starter couldn’t get through the third inning of his previous appearance, Monday night. On Saturday, the right-hander went the distance.
“He did have a tough outing his last time out against Sutherland, but the biggest thing from him this year is his ability to forget,” Bunting noted. “When things don’t go his way, he has no memory of it which is great. In this game if your dwelling on the last pitch, the next pitch isn’t going to be good either. I’m happy for him.”
Five of the Li’l Irish runs came off long balls with Trey Brown and John Altpeter connecting on two-run shots. James Huber had a solo job in the seventh.
“I’m sure he didn’t want to give up those home runs, but the fact that he settled back down and threw strikes is big for him,” Bunting stated. “After the first two home runs the next pitch was a strike. As a sophomore you worry about that. You worry about the maturity of the kids. He’s becoming a varsity pitcher in my eyes this year.”
Oropeza retired the side in order in the first and did not allow a hit until a one-out single in the third. He retired seven straight from the fifth through the seventh stanzas.
“My curve ball was working well today,” Oropeza said. “I was getting a good bite on it and able to throw it when I wanted.”
Brown’s blast gave Aquinas a 3-0 lead in the third.
Athena responded in the home half of the inning. Nucci walked. One out later, Ballard singled through the left side. Ruta brought home both with a double to left. Sciortino sent a bloop single into right center, and Kimble tied the score with a single through the left side.
Ballard and Ruta drove in runs with sacrifice flies in the fifth, and Nucci plated a run with a one-out single in the sixth.
Ruta finished the game 3-for-3 with a four RBI. Ballard, Sciortino and Shoemaker all went 2-for-3.
The win was the second in the last three games for Athena (4-14).
“It feels great,” Ballard said. “We personally think nobody wants to play us. We’re battling until the last pitch. Every game we’ve been in except maybe two or three. We can do some damage in the sectionals.”
Altpeter was 2-for-3 with a walk for Aquinas. Huber went 3-for-3 with a walk and three runs scored.
Aquinas beat Eastridge earlier in the day, 11-3. The game was a make-up from a perviously postponed contest. Vinny Mason struck out 13 over six innings for the win. Jack Scanlon collected two hits, two runs scored and three RBI.
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