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Monday night saw a Potomac District showdown between top teams in the Power 25 as No. 12 Riverside traveled to unbeaten No. 4 Freedom (South Riding). Both teams sent seniors to the mound, with the Rams starting lefty Michael Walsh (Maryland) and the Eagles going with righty Val Taddei (Lehigh).

Riverside scored in the top of the first courtesy of the leadoff batter reaching on a tough play and then an error on a bunt that put a runner on third with less than two outs, allowing Kyle Johnson to drive in the game's first run with a groundout.

Walsh was able to shut down Freedom for the first three innings, working out of jams in the first and third around a perfect second inning. Taddei had the Riverside offense under control in the second through fourth innings, and Freedom was able to push two runs across in the bottom of the fourth, getting a pair of runners in scoring position for Billy Adkins, who got a squeeze down, scoring one, and the throw to first got away allowing a second run to score, making it 2-1 Freedom after four innings.

Riverside tied the game in the fifth as Wyatt Shenkman (East Carolina) scored from second when a pickoff attempt got thrown away and past the outfielders. In the bottom of the fifth, Riverside went to the bullpen and Freedom quickly took advantage with a leadoff hit by pitch and a walk. The Rams turned a double play and looked poised to escape the inning, but Peter Hoenig singled to center, driving in the go-ahead run. Louis Cresci followed that with an RBI single of his own, and after a pitching change, Adkins made it three RBI singles in a row to give Freedom a 5-2 lead after 5 innings.

Riverside went quietly in the sixth and after a leadoff single in the seventh, Dylan Greentree entered the game for the Eagles and slammed the door to pickup the save and seal the win.

Taddei earned the win, going 6 IP, 2 R, 5 H, 7 K, 0 BB. Greentree went 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 2 K. Adkins was 1-2 with 2 RBI. Cresci was 2-3 with an RBI. Hoenig was 1-3 with an RBI and a BB. Josh Lui was 0-1 with 2 BB and a HBP. For Riverside, Walsh went 4 IP, 2 R, 2 H, 3 K, 5 BB, HBP. 

 

Riverside