The Roselle Catholic baseball team scored three times in the bottom of the seventh inning on Monday to register a 7-6 victory against Rahway at Warinanco Park in Roselle.
Senior Matt Rembish ripped a two-run double and sophomore Alex Beato plated classmate Kenny Matta with a sacrifice fly to end the game.
Sophomore Tom Kelly, RC’s starting pitcher, and senior Isaiah Echevarria opened the bottom of the seventh with back-to-back walks. Matta, RC’s second baseman, followed with a hard-hit infield single to load the bases.
With none out, the left-handed hitting Rembish (3-for-4) lined the baseball into the gap, between left and center, to plate Kelly and Echevarria and knot the score at six.
After a Rahway pitching change Beato, with two strikes, lined a fly ball to medium center field. RC’s Matta slid across home plate safely, just ahead of the tag of the Rahway catcher to score the winning run.
Echevarria, in relief, retired the only batter he faced in the top of the seventh inning to pick up the victory.
Senior center fielder Chris O’Malley and sophomore catcher Patrick Faughnan both finished with a single and a run batted in. RC senior first baseman John Kowalski singled and scored a run.
“This was a total team win,” said RC first-year head coach Steve Zurawiecki, whose club won for the second time in their last three games and improved to 3-8. “From the top to the bottom of the order every player contributed to the win.
“We continued to do what we do best: get on base and put pressure on the defense. Our pitching did a great job to keep us within striking distance.”
Rahway dropped to 5-5. RC and Rahway meet again on the baseball diamond on May 5. The Lions are scheduled to play at Brearley High School in Kenilworth on Tuesday.
Zurawieski is assisted by Will Young (RC Class of 2009). Michael Skrec (RC ’09) is the Lions junior varsity coach.
Roselle Catholic baseball tops Rahway in bottom of the 7th; Beato sacrifice fly scores Matta with game-winning run
Lions improve to 3-8, while Indians move to 5-5