Baseball Recap: Hope triumphant thanks to a strong effort from Raynel Rodriguez

By Team Reports May 12, 2024, 12:08pm

Baseball Recap: Hope Blue Wave vs. Exeter-West Greenwich Scarlet Knights

Hope's game last Saturday was a loss, but they didn't let that memory haunt them on Thursday. They narrowly escaped with a win as the squad sidled past the Exeter-West Greenwich Scarlet Knights 2-1. This was a revenge matchup for Hope, as the team was forced to settle for a 13-1 loss when these two played two weeks ago.

Raynel Rodriguez made a big impact while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and only one hit while striking out nine over seven innings pitched. Rodriguez has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't tossed less than eight strikeouts in five consecutive pitching appearances. Rodriguez was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-3.

On Exeter-West Greenwich's side, James Smith spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered only one earned (and one unearned) run on three hits and racked up ten Ks.

On the hitting side, Exeter-West Greenwich saw two different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Kole Kilduff, who scored a run and stole two bases while going 1-for-3.

Hope's victory bumped their record up to 5-9. As for Exeter-West Greenwich, this is the second loss in a row for them and nudges their season record down to 11-4.

Both teams will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. Hope will take on Scituate at 4:45 p.m. on Monday. Scituate will roll in looking for their eighth straight win, something Hope surely won't give up without a fight. As for Exeter-West Greenwich, they will head out on the road to challenge Juanita Sanchez Complex at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday. Juanita Sanchez Complex is coming into the contest with four straight victories at home, so Exeter-West Greenwich will have to stop a squad with plenty of momentum.

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