Rochester found itself down four after two innings in Ridgefield on Saturday, but the Warriors battled back to earn an 11-9 victory over the Spudders in a non-league meeting.
Ridgefield punched first, scoring three runs in the first, and even after Rochester answered with four, the Spudders got right back in front with five runs of their own to take an 8-4 lead after two.
That scoreline held until the fourth, when the Warriors cut the deficit in half with two runs, and Rochester took the lead with a five-run fifth.
Ridgefield scored just once after that point, including zero runs in the final two frames.
“We could have very easily rolled over,” Rochester coach Brad Quarnstrom said. “We did a good job of battling back.”
Owen Driver finished with five runs batted in as part of a 2 for 4 day.
“He’s been phenomenal for us all season long,” Quarnstrom said.
Five other Warriors finished with an RBI of their own: Simon Barth, Ethan Rodriguez, Wyatt Dahl, Peter Hayden, and Tyler Huston.
On the bump, Hayden made his first varsity start, and though it started off rocky, he settled in nicely and pitched into the fifth.
“He’s probably gonna be an up and coming dude for us,” Quarnstrom said. “He looked really good in the third and fourth.”
Dane Akin entered in relief, and he allowed just one hit and struck out two in two and two-thirds innings of scoreless ball in his second pitching appearance of the season.
“He just throws strikes, and we made some plays behind him,” Quarnstrom said. “He keeps them off balance.”
Rochester (10-3, 8-1 1A Evergreen) is on its league bye next week, and it will head north to face King’s on Tuesday. The week after, the Warriors will face Montesano in their final league series of the season.
Despite losing the series finale against Elma on Friday to fall one game behind Montesano, the Warriors could still win the league title if they take at least two of three against the Bulldogs. That series starts with a doubleheader in Montesano on Tuesday, April 28, and it ends with a single game in Rochester on Friday, May 1.
