Baseball 9/20/2021 2:15:00 PM Natasha Pinto

Rams need extra innings but salvage one win over Voyageurs

HAMILTON, Ont. - Back for another day of OUA baseball, the Rams warmed up to take on the Laurentian Voyageurs in a doubleheader. The team was looking towards adding onto their winning streak to end their opening weekend games.

Game 1: Laurentian 5, Rams 1

The game was off to a slow start as the Voyageurs took the mound first. Ryan Ricci singled and then stole second base, however, he could not bring in a run for the Rams as a strikeout at bat ended the top of the inning.

Matthew Tohana was the starting pitcher against the Laurentian lineup. Left fielder, Josh Thomas, first baseman, Ryan Ricci, and second baseman, Daniel Cote made important catches to get hitters out, which left both teams without any runs scored.

By the third inning, Josh Thomas had his turn to bat. He earned a single and then successfully stole second base. Ryan Ricci hit the ball far enough to bring Thomas in to score the run for the Rams, making it 1-0.

Third baseman Devon Capitao and shortstop Thomas Markus gave it their all on the field as Capitao tallied up two outs and Markus one, which were all thrown to first base for an easy end of inning.

The Rams ran into some trouble in the fourth inning, walking a hitter and allowing another to advance bases. Francesco Giordano was called up to the mound in place of Tohana. Bouncing back with catches by Giordano and Domenic Gonzalez in centre field, they were able to keep the Voyageurs from scoring.

In the fifth inning the Rams were not able to score any runs, leaving them in a difficult place for the next inning. The Voyageurs brought home a runner from third, tying the score at one all.

No hits were dropping for the Rams as they tried their best to find a go-ahead run. To start the bottom of the sixth, Kit Corsini took the mound. The bases were loaded and the Voyageurs scored two runs. With two more players on base, another two runs were scored, making it 5-1. With only one out at this point of the game, Ryan Bando was tagged brought in for Corsini. Bando threw a strike and then threw to first base to secure the third out.

The Voyageurs ended up taking the win against the Rams, 5-1, but the team was ready to play some more baseball, taking them on once again for game two.

Game 2: Rams 7, Laurentian 5

Angadh Singh threw the first pitch against the Voyageurs, however he was unable to keep them from scoring. By the end of the first inning, the Voyageurs were leading again, with the score being 3-0.

The game was quiet until the fourth inning.

The Rams then found their rhythm and were exuberated. Wil Nenadovic was up to the plate first. Hitting the ball to centre field he was able to make it to first base. Matteo Forgione then too made it to first base as he was driven by the support coming from his teammates. Stephen Prokopich dropped the ball into deep centre field, loading the bases for the Rams. Hits by Thomas Markus and Josh Thomas brought home all the runners, and to end the inning an RBI by Ryan Ricci brought home Markus. Rams led 4-3.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Voyageurs hit to third baseman, Ricci who stumbled upon the ball. Shortstop, Markus recovered the ball as fast as he could and threw it to first baseman, Nenadovic for the out. Another catch for Domenic Gonzalez in centre field and a strike out by Singh ended the inning in smiles for the boys in blue.

By the time the fifth and sixth innings came around, the pressure was high for both teams. In order to win, the Rams had to score more runs or keep the Voyageurs making it back to home plate.

Ryan Bando pitched the seventh inning. A hit to left field was caught by Prokopich for the first out. A slip of the glove resulted in a missed catch of a ground ball, and the Voyageurs scored another run to tie the game 4-4.

The game came to an end, but an extra inning was decided upon to have a clear winner.

The Rams were fired up to make the most of this opportunity.

Antonio Salatino hit a bunt which helped him get to first and Forgione to second. Prokopich then drilled it deep between right and centre field, bringing home Forgione and Salatino.

Markus hit a line drive to centre field, and once again was able to get to first base, while Prokopich made it to third. Thomas brought Prokopich home, eventually ending the inning with a score of 7-4.

Bando was back on the mound for the bottom of the inning and the Voyageurs scored another run. With all the Rams on their toes, Bando had to get one more hitter out to win the game. A throw to first base ended the game 7-4, which split the series 1-1 between the Rams and the Voyageurs.

A riveting win for the team closed the season's opening weekend for the Rams with an overall standing of 2-2. The team looks to take on the York Lions in doubleheaders in Vaughan on Saturday and at Stan Wadlow Park on Sunday.

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Players Mentioned

#14 Angadh Singh: OF/P; 1

#26 Antonio Salatino: 3B; 5' 11"; 1

#23 Daniel Cote: SS; 6' 0"; 1

#31 Devon Capitao: 3B; 5' 10"; 1

#9 Domenic Gonzalez: OF; 6' 1"; 1

#21 Francesco Giordano: P; 5' 7"; 2

#5 Josh Thomas: OF; 5' 11"; 1

#7 Kit Corsini: P/OF; 6' 0"; 1

#6 Matteo Forgione: P/2B; 5' 7"; 1

#3 Ryan Bando: P; 5' 4"; 1

Players Mentioned

#14 Angadh Singh
: 1
: OF/P

#26 Antonio Salatino
: 5' 11"; 1
: 3B

#23 Daniel Cote
: 6' 0"; 1
: SS

#31 Devon Capitao
: 5' 10"; 1
: 3B

#9 Domenic Gonzalez
: 6' 1"; 1
: OF

#21 Francesco Giordano
: 5' 7"; 2
: P

#5 Josh Thomas
: 5' 11"; 1
: OF

#7 Kit Corsini
: 6' 0"; 1
: P/OF

#6 Matteo Forgione
: 5' 7"; 1
: P/2B

#3 Ryan Bando
: 5' 4"; 1
: P