Senior Ray Richards tossed a complete game four-hitter and pounded a two-RBI double to straight away center field to start the comeback from a two-run deficit as Spencerport celebrated senior day with a 6-3 victory over Rush-Henrietta in boys baseball.
The Rangers jumped out to a 1-0 lead in their first time at bat as senior shortstop Joe Carroll reached on an infield single and was replaced on base by catcher Jason Nau, who reached second on an errant through trying to complete the double play. Nau advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a two-out single to center by third baseman Greg Ranieri.
The Royal Comets scored three runs on three hits, an error and two wild pitches to take a 3-1 lead in the third, but the Rangers came right back to tie it with two in their half of the inning.
Nau was hit by a pitch and Ranieri singled with one out before they reached third and second respectively on an errant pickoff throw. Both came in to score on Richards’ long double.
Spencerport scored the go-ahead run in the fourth inning as Ranieri drew a bases-loaded walk scoring left-fielder Nathan Hueber, who had earlier reached on an infield single.
They then plated a pair of unearned insurance runs in the sixth as Joe Carroll reached on a walk and went to second on a single by Nau. One out later Richards reached on a bad throw to load the bases and second baseman Gino Pellett knocked in Carroll on a fielder’s choice RBI with Nau also scoring on another errant throw trying to turn the double play to make it 6-3.
Richards, meanwhile, was in control throughout most of the game allowing only four hits and striking out six one week after his ten strikeout complete game win over Churchville-Chili.
“Just tried to get them to roll the ball to the infielders and let them make plays; I owe a lot to the guys,” Richards said. “Mostly keeping my fastball down, but also my slider and a weird knuckleball that is sort of a forkball.
“This was a great way to wrap up my senior year at home.”
Carroll helped strand what would have been the tying run at second in the top of the sixth with an over-the-shoulder snare of a hot-shot grounder to his right at shortstop for the final out of the frame.
The Rangers earned their fifth win in what has been a difficult schedule against higher class (size) teams and were expecting to be a ninth or tenth seed for next week’s Section V playoffs.
Aside from Richards and Joe Carroll, senior right fielder Joe Moschettieri and center fielder Chris Carroll also played in their final regular season home game.
