Colts No-Hit Trojans On Their Way To Tourney Opening Win

The rivalry has been there for decades. When the Colts and Trojans get together on a baseball field, there is always bragging rights at stake. Tuesday night, the Colts took those bragging rights to a new level, with the offense exploding for 17 runs and two pitchers combining on a no-hitter in a 17-3 HSBN Fall Classic tournament opening win.

Last year, the Colts hoisted the trophy in the inaugural Fall Classic, and right from the start last night, it appeared that the 2012 version was intent on defending that title.

The Colts wasted no time getting their offense started. Leadoff hitter Justin Mixon singled to right and ended up on third after a two-base error. Michael Montalvo then hit a fielder’s choice ground ball to first, driving in Mixon. Tre Dingus followed with a screaming line drive over the right-field wall, upping the score to 3-0 before an out was recorded.

After an out, Ryan DeNardo started another first-inning rally with an opposite-field double to left. Vinny Cerullo followed with a single. Cerullo then stole second base, and when the throw went into center field, designated runner Juan Castillo came across with the fourth Colts run of the opening frame.

The Trojans battled back in their half of the first. Gavin Robinson drew a walk from the lead-off spot, and Joseph Libio was hit by an Andrew Rohloff pitch. It looked as though Rohloff was going to get out of the inning after inducing a groundout and a strikeout. When Matt Ortiz’ chopper in front of the mound was thrown wide, Robinson and Libio came in to score, cutting the lead to 4-2.

In the second, the Colts extended their lead to 7-2. Matt Messina scored the first run of the inning on a Rohloff sacrifice fly. Mixon and Dingus, who reached on a single and intentional walk, came in on DiNardo’s second hit of the night.

The Trojans threatened to make it a game in their half of the second. With two outs, the Trojans loaded the bases on walks by Zack Costanzo and Libio, and a hit-by-pitch Robinson. Rohloff worked out of the jam by ending the inning with a strikeout.

It was over the next two innings that the Colts put the game away, scoring eight runs in the third and fourth and eventually two more in the fifth. Mixon was a catalyst for the offense the entire night, reaching base five times, going 4-for-4, with a walk, two RBIs and four runs.

“I have been in a slump lately, so I just wanted to come out today and work on letting the ball get deep, hit it the other way,” said Mixon. “We knew coming into the tournament that it was time to get serious, and we responded. It was a total team win.”

Part of the credit on this night goes to Rohloff and Messina, who combined to no-hit the Trojans. Rohloff went three innings, allowing only only one earned run while striking out five. Messina threw the final two innings, allowing only a walk.

One of the reasons manager Frank Bumbales feels his team has finally broken out offensively was the use of wood bats all fall.

“We have forced the kids to use wood bats all fall,” said Bumbales. “We struggled over the past few weeks, but we wanted to use the wood to make sure the guys learned how to find the sweet spot on the bat. The last two games, we have allowed them to go back to the metal bats, and you can see the difference. They were squaring balls up tonight, and it was good to see.”

The top five hitters in the Colts lineup were on base 15 times Tuesday. Dingus went 2-for4 with a double, home run and three RBIs. Catcher Ryan DeNardo went 2-for2 with a double, two walks, and two RBIs. DeNardo was around last year when the younger Colts team won the Fall Classic, and now he wants to win one with the older team.

“The energy was there right from the start today,” said DeNardo. “We came into this tournament wanting to win. We were focused, we were doing what we had to do, moving guys over, hitting line drives. Our pitching was spot on. Everything was clicking. This win was great, but we need to stay focused, because we don’t only want to win one game, we want to win the whole thing.”

On the other side of the field, it was a different story for a Trojans team that has had a successful fall under new manager Alan Clark. The team lost in uncharacteristic fashion, walking batters and playing shoddy defense. Those are things that cannot continue if the Trojans want to turn things around.

“We just didn’t show up to play tonight,” said Clark. “We walked guys, which we haven’t done all fall. We made errors, and our defense has been pretty solid. I don’t really know what happened. I know that right now, we can’t win by just walking on the field, and that’s what I told them after the game. They are going to have to earn respect, and it’s not going to happen playing like we did tonight.”

The Trojans will get a chance to turn their fortunes today when they face the Pembroke Pines Panthers. The Colts return to action Thursday with a game against the Deerfield Bucks.

Leave a comment using your facebook account!