Pickin' Splinters

Rochester's Independent Sports Source

Hilton outlasts Rush-Henrietta to win third game

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By PAUL GOTHAM 

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Michael Whelehan entered Tuesday’s Monroe County Division I matchup with a pair of runners on base, no outs and his Hilton Cadets holding a 3-1 lead in the fourth inning.

The junior right-hander didn’t flinch.

A shortstop by trade, he came off the mound to field a sacrifice bunt attempt and erased the lead runner at third. He followed with a strike out and one walk later ended the threat by inducing a ground ball.

Whelehan hurled the remaining three innings to register the save, and the Cadets defeated Rush-Henrietta for the second time in as many days.

“It feels good,” the 5-foot-10 middle infielder said after the 4-1 win. “Yesterday, we put a couple of runs on them. Top of the lineup did really good attacking the fastball today. We posted a couple runs early and then chipped away.”

The performance wasn’t without trepidation. He scattered four hits and left six on base including the seventh when the go-ahead run came to the plate.

“I came in and trusted Joey (Sanna),” he said of his battery mate. “Joey had some great calls. We were on the same page. Trusted him and got it done.”

At the plate Whelehan was part of Hilton’s top third that produced five hits, three runs and two RBI in the game.

He led the bottom of the first with a walk and later scored on James Capellupo’s double down the left field line. In the fourth inning, he sparked a two-out rally with a single into left.

“Our energy, we bring it every day, really fun to be around,” Whelehan said of the Hilton nine which improved its record to three wins and zero losses on the season.  “We know where we stand in the league and we know we got to bring it every day. That’s been our mindset.”

Capellupo followed his teammate’s lead with a base hit and after Carter Clark was intentionally walked to load the bases, Whelehan scampered home on a wild pitch for the final margin.

Whelehan finished 2-for-2 on the day including a double in the sixth to go with two walks in the contest.

“Just taking what they give me,” he said. “I know my zone. I know my strike zone, so if they throw it to my zone, I attack it.”

Capellupo went 2-for-4 and scored the second run in the first inning when Hilton took a lead it did not surrender. Clark reached base all four times he came to the plate and had an RBI single in the first with three walks to follow.

Steven Kraus started and struck out five over three-plus innings of work. The sophomore left-hander allowed a run in the first before setting down five of six from the end of the first through the second.

“Stevie pitched great for us,” Whelehan said of his teammate. “He gave us a chance to win, put us in a great spot.”

Brady Gerig finished 2-for-3 in the win. Sanna reached on a dropped third strike in the second inning and later scored. Kraus had a hit in three trips to the plate.

Rush-Henrietta’s Joe Grzeskowiak reached base all four times he came to the plate with a single and two walks. The centerfielder scored the Royal Comets lone run. Evan Brock finished 3-for-4 with an RBI and a stolen base. Justin Angora went 2-for-4. Cameron Richards reached base three times on walks.

Dillon Kelly collected a double. Kelly threw five innings for R-H (0-3). The lanky right-hander survived the first inning when four of the first five batters reached base.  He allowed four runs (two earned) on six hits and four walks. He struck out three.

Hilton defeated R-H, 7-0 on Monday.

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