Saratoga News
Sports
Rothenberg walk-off HR gives Falcons 1-0 win
By Kevin Sparrer
Hitting a home run might be the best feeling in baseball--especially when it comes in the bottom of the last inning to break up a shutout and win a game.
Saratoga's Bennett Rothenberg knows the feeling well. Rothenberg came up with no one on and one out in the bottom of the seventh of a pitcher's duel with Monta Vista on April 26 in game in the El Camino Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic league.
The Falcons and Matadors had only managed two hits apiece before Rothenberg stepped up to the plate. With a 2-2 count, the Monta Vista pitcher threw a fast ball he wished he hadn't and Rothenberg crushed it over the wall in left center field for a walk-off home run.
"It's pretty nice," said Rothenberg. "I was kind of hoping for it, but once I got two strikes I was just trying to make contact. But when I hit it, I knew it."
"Bennett has been hitting the ball well the last few weeks," said Saratoga head coach Ray Burney. "He has three home runs and a bunch of multiple base hits."
Along with Rothenberg there were only two other hits for the Falcons. Despite a broken finger, Bo Nielsen crushed a two-out triple in the bottom of the first, but was left stranded at third.
The only other hit came in the bottom of the fifth when Joseph Avery hit a slow roller up the middle that found its way through for a single.
Perhaps the best chance Saratoga had to score before the seventh was in the bottom of the second. With one out, Michael Leonardi and Rothenberg drew back-to-back walks. Eric Bruner reached first when the Monta Vista second baseman tried to turn a double play, but the shortstop couldn't handle the ball and it left the bases loaded with one out. Unfortunately Saratoga was not able to convert the error into any runs and all three runners were left on base.
Myles Hornberger also had a great day on the mound for the Falcons. Hornberger threw five shutout innings, allowing only two hits, walking just one and striking out five.
"We know with Myles on the mound we have a chance to beat anybody," said Burney.
Coming in to close the game for Hornberger was Blake Paisley, who came on in the top of the sixth and threw two perfect innings.
Earlier in the week Saratoga's pitching had a similar effect on Monta Vista when the Falcons defeated the Matadors 10-1 on April 24. Hornberger threw five innings again for the Falcons. He allowed only one unearned run on three hits and struck out eight.
Paisley again came in to shut down the Matadors, allowing only one hit and no runs.
At the plate it was Sean Casserly who knocked the ball all over the yard for Saratoga. Casserly knocked a pair of doubles for the Falcons and drove in four runs in the win. Thomas Christian also had two hits, scored twice and had an RBI. Kevin Sieczkarek had one hit and drove in two, Taylor Dere had a hit and scored once and Avery had a hit and scored twice in the win.
The wins bring the Falcons to 8-3 in league and 12-7 overall. This week the Falcons face the division-leading Homestead Mustangs twice. The first game is set for May 1, 3:30 p.m., at Saratoga and the next game is May 3, 3:30 p.m., at Homestead.
