Gilman Holds Off Loyola Blakefield In Shootout
March 29, 2018
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Gabe Gonzales' three-run homerun to left field in the bottom of the sixth inning gave Gilman the lead to hold off Loyola-Blakefield in a wild back and forth offensive battle 10-7.
On a cold, wet, and basically miserable day, offense took over early and often in this matchup of top MIAA teams. Loyola struck immediately in the top of the first with Dom Dinoto scoring after a leadoff double to start the game. Gilman would not respond until the bottom of the second after Maxwell Costes reached base on an infield single and advanced to third after a pass ball and wild pitch. He would score on an RBI groundout to tie the game up at 1 .
After both teams traded runs in the third inning, sparks began to fly in the fourth. The Dons would strike with three runs, all off the bat of OF Patrick Krack, who knocked a three-run homer to opposite field. Gilman then exploded for five runs in the bottom half with five hits in the inning and could have been more if not for an amazing diving grab from third baseman AJ Holcomb down the line from a missile off of the bat of Costes. After four complete, Gilman took their first lead of the game at 7-5.
After a scoreless fifth, the Dons would cut the lead in half in the top of the sixth from a bases loaded walk, but left the bases loaded with the score 7-6. With two outs and runners on second and third, Gonzales can up to the plate and deposited the one-strike pitch onto the street behind left field.
The Dons were able to load the bases again in the seventh down 10-6, but could only muster one run as Gilman's Joe Melacon as the submariner struck out Dinoto to end the game.
Gilman was paced by their two stars on offense, Pierce Bennett and Costes. Bennett went 3-for-4 at the plate with an RBI and Costes went 2-for-3.
Krack led the Dons offense, going 2-for-3 with three RBI. Holcomb went 2-for-4 with an RBI.