SV wins wild 10-inning game at Middletown

The St. Vincent High School baseball team tuned up for its participation in the annual Bill Pavioni Invitational Tournament sponsored by the Fort Bragg Rotary Club with a split of two games last week.

St. Vincent’s Mustangs rapped 11 hits in a wild 11-9, 10-inning win over Middletown’s Mustangs, but two days later were limited to six hits in a 4-2 loss to St. Helena. Both games were played on the road.

At Middletown, the teams traded big innings to set up the overtime struggle. Middletown erupted for seven runs in the bottom of the fourth inning for an 8-3 lead, but St. Vincent rallied in the top of the seventh for five runs, forcing overtime.

St. Vincent scored in the top of the ninth; Middletown answered with a tying run in the bottom of the inning. St. Vincent added two runs in the top of the 10th, and Ethan Rapoport shut Middletown down in the bottom of the inning for the win.

St. Vincent had 11 hits.AJ?Wright had three, including a triple, and Reno Nalducci a pair, including a double.

Rapoport pitched six strong innings for St. Vincent, allowing four runs, but all were unearned. He struck out nine and didn’t allow a walk.

St. Vincent matched the host Saints with six hits in the loss at St. Helena, but the Mustangs managed only single runs in the fourth and seventh innings.

Jack Romano went the distance for St. Vincent, allowing the six hits, with three walks, while striking out seven.

Nalducci was practically the entire St. Vincent offense with a 4-for-4 afternoon.