By PAUL GOTHAM
HENRIETTA, N.Y. — Coming out of a weather delay, McQuaid scored four unanswered runs to defeat Penfield, 6-4 in Section V Baseball action, Sunday at Monroe Community College.
Paul Rizzo connected on a pair of triples to highlight the rally.
“It feels great,” the junior first baseman said. “It’s good to come out with the guys and get the W.”
Rizzo led the bottom of the fourth with a shot to straight center that one-hopped the fence 405 feet from home plate. He scored the go-ahead run on a Jason Larsen RBI base hit.
“I just stayed within myself at the plate and kept my swing the same no matter if I had a couple swings and misses or not,” he said. “First pitch (of the at-bat) was a fastball outside. I was kinda undisciplined and swung at that. I saw that next pitch and I was licking my chops just trying to get one out there.”
Rizzo provided an insurance run in the fifth with a two-out RBI three-bagger to right field.
Paul Rizzo connects on his second triple in as many at-bats to give @AthleticsMcQ a 6-4 lead heading to the sixth. pic.twitter.com/h8jgPPQzdE
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) April 14, 2024
Ian Fleck’s two-out, two-run single knots the score heading to the fourth: @PHSPatriotsBB 4 @AthleticsMcQ 4 pic.twitter.com/F5qbot7nvi
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) April 14, 2024
James Randisi retires all five batters he faces to register the save. FINAL: @AthleticsMcQ 6 @PHSPatriotsBB 4 pic.twitter.com/lBnRb4zDk4
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) April 14, 2024
With the win, McQuaid improved to 2-3 on the season. The game will be the only meeting of the season between the two rivals which have met in sectionals a number of times over the past few seasons. McQuaid, though, will be in Class AAA this year while Penfield remains in Class AA.
“I’m buddies with a lot of those guys,” Rizzo said. “I played Penfield Little League with almost all of them, so it’s good to get that game on them.”
Brayden Craig struck out five over 4.1 scoreless innings of relief to pick up the win. The right-hander scattered six walks and two hits.
James Randisi came out of the bullpen in the sixth with a pair of runners on base, one out and retired the first two batters he faced to escape the jam. The junior right-hander fanned two and set down all five batters he faced for the save.
“He’s great,” Rizzo said of his teammate. “Coming out of the bullpen in that situation, only up two runs and the way he relied on his defense, he pitched well getting batters out.”
Ian Fleck finished 1-for-3 including a two-out, two-run single that tied the game at four in the third inning.
John Wilmarth, Zach Craib, Thomas Bailey and Connor Forkey scored a run apiece for McQuaid. Pierce Meck was 1-for-3 with a double.
Patrick Emling and Jace Crawford drove in a run apiece with base hits in the first inning to stake Penfield to a 2-0 lead. The Patriots took advantage of three walks and two hit batters to add another pair of runs in the second for a 4-2 advantage.
Crawford went 2-for-4. Emling worked three walks and had two RBI. Gabriel Reyes singled, walked and scored a run. James Browe and Jacob Murray both walked and scored a run. Nick Masters also crossed home for Penfield (1-5). Matt Martucci retired all three batters he faced in a scoreless inning of relief.
Lightning in the area forced the teams to clear the field for a mandatory 30 minutes.
Penfield defeated McQuaid in the 2021 Class AA semifinals. McQuaid topped Penfield in the 2019 Class AA championship game and in the 2018 Class AA semifinals.
The game was part of an unconventional doubleheader that saw McQuaid drop an 11-5 decision to Orchard Park (VI).
Forkey finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored in the second game. Thomas O’Reilly was 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Randisi singled and scored. Fleck singled, walked and scored. Larsen also crossed home.
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