By PAUL GOTHAM
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Earlier in the week, Gates-Chili baseball fell victim to a late-inning rally.
Dean Dingee’s squad didn’t let a replay of those events occur on Thursday afternoon.
The Spartans sent 13 to the plate in an eight-run fourth inning on the way to a 10-3 victory over host Greece Arcadia.
“We’ve been taking a small-ball approach, and the kids have really bought into it” Dingee said. “We started to see some of the effect of that in the big inning.”
Ethan Yates led with a single and eventually scored twice in an inning that saw five different players connect for base hits, including Jacob Gangross who collected two singles.
A one-out bunt single from Gangross set the wheels in motion for the Spartans.
“They missed the coverage on that play,” Dingee explained. “It just kind of snowballed. We’ve been the victims of that in the past. Now we’re starting to see what you can do on offense to put some pressure on defenses with the bunting game. It makes a big difference.”
Jaylen Givens brought home Yates with the first run of the inning. Gangross scored on an RBI fielder’s choice from Cole Gorman. Bruce Hanna and Benett Marconi plated two apiece with base hits.
“We’re reading pitches better and making our own breaks,” Dingee said.
Gavin Sweeney started, struck out three and scattered five hits over five scoreless innings to pick up the win.
Hanna finished 2-for-4 with three RBI and a run scored. Gangross was 2-4 with an RBI. Yates went 2-3 with a double, walk, two runs scored and an RBI. Givens had two hits and a run scored. Andrew McManus also singled.
Nick DiFrancesca walked twice and scored twice. Sweeney walked twice and crossed home once.
“This group has been really focused,” Dingee said. “During the off-season, they came in and hit two nights a week. They do everything that we ask and more. You can’t argue with that.”
On Monday, the Spartans took a 7-4 lead into the seventh inning before dropping an 8-7 decision to Eastridge.
“That one stung,” Dingee said. “We knew that wasn’t indicative of our ability, so we wanted to come back today and perform.”
Ethan Coakley hurled a scoreless seventh for the Spartans (2-3).
Joey Zona and Julio Sosa had two hits and an RBI apiece for Arcadia (1-4). Blake DeForest went 2-4 with a run scored. Ryan Bailey singled and crossed home. Chris Walter was 2-4. Colin Anderson added a single.
Earlier in the day, Arcadia beat Wilson Magnet, 14-5.
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