By PAUL GOTHAM
PITTSFORD, N.Y. — Ryan Maxwell was given the nickname of “Chicken Bone” during his squad’s recent Spring Break trip.
Perhaps because of the senior right-hander’s slight build.
On Friday, the Brockport Blue Devil left little meat on the bone for opposing batters to chew.
Maxwell hurled a four-hitter as Brockport edged host Pittsford Sutherland, 3-2 in Section V Baseball action.
“He’s a senior,” said Brockport head coach Joseph Innes. “He’s been around and been successful. “He’s a kid that feeds off that confidence and success. You got to throw strikes and he started doing that.”
After leaving men in scoring position in the first and second innings, Maxwell gave up a pair of runs in the fourth. From there he retired nine of the next 10 batters he faced.
“He’s a kid that it usually takes him an inning or two to settle in,” Innes said. “He’s got a really good curveball. He keeps batters off-balance. He can throw it for first-pitch strikes. When you get a pitcher in high school who can do that, you can compete with anyone.”
Maxwell also made an adjustment when he needed it.
Sam Renica doubled and drove in Sutherland’s first run in the fourth inning. The Knights’ left-fielder came up in the sixth with the tying run on base.
This time, Maxwell induced a groundball for the final out of the frame.
“I gave him a fastball to hit in his previous at-bat and he hit it,” Maxwell said. “Next time up, I gave him way more off-speed and didn’t give him a fastball.”
He finished with three strike outs and two walks.
“My curveball was working well. The break on it was nice, and I was able to change speeds with it from my fastball. It got better later in the game. My fastball was getting harder, so my curveball was working with the change of speed.”
The win was the second straight and third in the past four games for Brockport (6-8) which opened the season with one win in its first seven games. Four of the Blue Devils’ losses this season have been by two runs or less.
“It was one of those games where it can go either way,” Innes said. “Just pumped we came out on top. We’ve been in a lot of close ones this year and haven’t had the luck.
“Obviously, Sutherland is one of the top dogs. Their coach and that program, they’re a class act. Any time you can beat the top guys, it’s pretty cool.”
After surrendering a two-run lead earlier in the game, Brockport used a two-out rally in the sixth to push across the winning run.
Dan Dailey singled to right field and got a good break out of the batter’s box. When the ball was mishandled, the junior infielder moved to second base. He advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on an Andrew Lennartz base hit.
“We try to do the right thing and be aggressive on the bases,” Innes said. “He’s a heckuva baserunner, and he showed it.”
Three straight reach with two outs in the sixth. Andrew Lennartz gives @bport_baseball a 3-2 lead. Daniel Dailey scores on the play. Dailey, going doubles out of the box, started the rally with a single to right and moved 90 on an error. He took third on a fly ball. pic.twitter.com/CQRzdyNYOd
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) May 3, 2024
Ryan Maxwell gets a ground ball for a three-up, three-down effort in the fifth – his second clean stanza of the evening. @bport_baseball 2 @SHSBSBL 2 pic.twitter.com/RMgyESESyj
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) May 3, 2024
Brayden Scaccia comes home on a Gregory Rightmyer ground ball. @bport_baseball 2-0, mid 4. pic.twitter.com/NLNVUXXa8d
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) May 3, 2024
Carter Dunn gets @bport_baseball on the board. pic.twitter.com/qLlDN89bjZ
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) May 3, 2024
The run was a result of Dailey putting himself in position on two occasions to take advantage of mistakes made by the opposing side.
“In a game like this, it matters so much. For us, we got three one-run losses this year. Every day after those games, it’s like guys we’re so close. You got to do those little things when you play a program like Sutherland. If you don’t, you’re not going to win.”
Dailey finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored. Brayden Scaccia went 1-for-3 with a double and run scored in the win. Carter Dunn doubled, walked twice and drove in a run. Greg Rightmyer single and drove in a run. Myles Sherman added a base hit.
Sutherland’s Renica was 2-for-3 with a run scored. Tyler Allen singled and drove in a run for the Knights (11-3). Paul Byrne walked and scored. Sam Byrne started and struck out seven in a complete-game effort.
Sam Renica gets @SHSBSBL on the board with a two-out double in the fourth. Tyler Allen follows with a RH scoring single. We’ve played 4: @bport_baseball 2 @SHSBSBL 2 pic.twitter.com/naI1Siqzbj
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) May 3, 2024
Leave a Reply