Rochester Alternative Baseball’s (RAB) Inclusion Series returned to Webster Thomas High School for the third year on Friday July 18th. The two teams, Team Blue and Team Gray, each featured a combination of RAB players and community members playing side-by-side.
This year’s edition saw the visiting Team Blue carrying a slim 6-5 lead through three innings with pitcher Holly Salway throwing a scoreless second and third innings. Team Gray finally broke through in the bottom of the fourth after RAB player Andres Greenman’s bases-loaded walk was immediately followed by community player Jabez Turner’s three-run double, giving Team Gray a 9-6 lead they would never relinquish en route to a 19-15 win.
Team Gray featured the father-son duo of Seth (community) and Andres Greenman combining for four hits, five runs scored, four RBI and two doubles. Team Gray’s top-to-bottom hitting threat saw eight players score at least twice with player/coach Brian O’Keefe leading Team Gray with three hits, RAB player Jordan Root hitting two doubles while also striking out three from the mound, and community player Scott Kobida also hitting a bases-clearing double in the bottom of the sixth to put the game away.
Team Blue was led by community player Nick Polle, who was just a home run shy of hitting for the cycle. Community player Joe Kress also contributed three hits. RAB player Chris Lockwood had a game leading four RBI for Team Blue. Community players (coach) Dan Polle and Tom Such also had multi-hit games with RAB players Jonathan Allen and Chris Minnie contributing hits as well for Team Blue.
RAB appreciates the community members stepping up to ensure a game that saw only nine of the 14 RAB players able to play could happen, as well as the Rochester District Umpires Association volunteering their time to officiate the game.
Rochester Alternative Baseball is a local charity with the mission of promoting the sport of baseball by providing authentic baseball experience for those who are neurodivergent and/or living with physical and mental disabilities, as well as friends and families wishing to share that experience with them. The Inclusion Series is a series of games featuring RAB players playing alongside members of the community in a fun baseball scrimmage to promote inclusion in the sport of baseball regardless of ability. The games are played using regulation fields and rules but using Markwort Kenko ProA 9.0 baseballs (official baseball of Japanese rubber-ball baseball) instead of hard balls. One more Inclusion Series game is planned for September 6th at a location TBD. Visit https://www.rochesteralternativebaseball.org/inclusion-series
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