Thomas Blasts The Vikings Into The Final Four
Senior hurler Nick Rogowski was sensational for the Vikings in his complete game victory. Rogowski simply got better as the game wore on and threw harder in the 6th through 8th innings then in the previous five...
Photo By: Helene Shain / GamedayMagazine
Junior Tyler Wislocki held the Woodbridge lineup in check for nearly 5 innings, but Tyler Thomas broke that pattern with two home runs that led to the eventual 5-4 win for the Vikings...
Photo By: Helene Shain / GamedayMagazine
Coach Jason Ritenour has done an incredible job in keeping the Vikings motivated and focused as they cruise to a 26-0 record and a place in the State Final Four...
Photo By: Helene Shain / GamedayMagazine
STORY BY: WOODSON BASEBALL
WOODBRIDGE, VA - The state quarterfinals began tonight with Woodson traveling to Woodbridge High School to face the Woodbridge Vikings. The pitching match-up pitted the Vikings Nick Rogowski against the Cavaliers Tyler Wislocki.
Woodson's lead-off batter Colin Dempsey (3-5, 2 R, SB) got the offense going by hitting a single up the middle on a 2-2 pitch. Dempsey got into scoring position by stealing second with Breslin at the plate. Breslin worked Rogowski for 9 pitches then hit an RBI single up the middle in an excellent overall at bat. Breslin moved up to second on a passed ball with Connor Finnerty at the plate but he stayed at second through the next three batters as Rogowski got Finnerty and Matt Patrick to fly out and retired Connor Reilly on a ground out to third baseman Brandon Gum.
Wislocki allowed a one out double down the right field line by Kevin Tatum then got Kyle Toomey and Tyler Thomas to hit fly outs to end the inning.
John McGillicuddy (3-4, double) singled to begin the 2nd inning. After David Rozner flew out to right, Ryan Lluy was hit by a pitch. Mitch Prosperi struck out for the second out then Dempsey singled to load the bases. Breslin's grounder to short forced out Dempsey at second for the final out.
Rogowski led off the 2nd against Wislocki drawing a 6 pitch walk. Brian Wirth sacrificed Rogowski to second. Zack Szwed singled to left putting runners on the corners. Gum then hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Rogowski tying the game at 1.
In the top of the 3rd Woodson tried to regain the lead. Matt Patrick lined a one out single to left. Reilly's grounder up the middle forced out Patrick at second. John McGillicuddy singled to center placing runners on first and second but Rozner's drive down the left field line was hauled in by Wirth for the third out.
Wislocki faced the heart of the Vikings order in the bottom of the 3rd but needed just 11 pitches to get the three outs.
The Cavaliers regained the lead in the 4th. Ryan Lluy (2-3, run scored) singled to left to start the inning. After Rogowski struck out Prosperi, Dempsey got his third straight single putting runners on first and second. Breslin flew out to left for the second out. Finnerty worked a full count then took Rogowski deep hitting a home run over the fence in left center for a 4-1 lead. Wislocki kept a firm grasp on the lead retiring the side on just nine pitches in the bottom of the 4th.
In the 5th John McGillicuddy hit a one out double to center as the centerfielder Logan Farrar was shaded over to right center. Rozner hit a fly ball to left for the second out. With Lluy at the plate McGillicuddy was picked off second for the third out. The Vikings tied it in the bottom of the inning when Farrar drew a one out walk. Tatum doubled to right with Farrar advancing to third on the hit. Toomey popped out to Lluy at second for out number two. Thomas then drove a 2-1 pitch from Wislocki over the left field fence making it a 4-4 game.
Rogowski seemed energized by the turn of events as in the 6th and 7th innings he allowed no baserunners while striking out 4 of the 6 batters he faced despite having a pitch count exceeding 120 pitches.
John McGillicuddy took over in the 6th for Wislocki with Joe Brendler entering the game to take McGillicuddy's place at third. McGillicuddy, matched Rogowski's performance in the 6th and 7th retiring the side in order. Woodson had several nice defensive plays in the sequence as in the 6th Brendler snared a hot smash by Gun and in the 7th Patrick made a sensational diving backhand stop of Tatum's hard grounder to take away a hit when he flipped to McGillicuddy covering for the out.
With the game tied 4-4 after the regulation 7 innings, the game headed to the 8th inning with Connor Reilly digging in against Rogowski. Reilly lined the first offering for a double into the gap in right center. McGillicuddy fouled off 2 bunt attempts then popped out to second. Rozner was issued an intentional walk. Lluy hit s single up the middle to load the bases with one out. Pinch hitter Ryan Fitzgerald got behind in the count 1-2 then fouled off a couple of pitches before striking out for the second out. Dempsey then grounded into a fielder's choice to end the threat with Rogowski's pitch count having reached 143 pitches.
Thomas stood in to face McGillicuddy in the bottom of the 8th. He worked McGillicuddy to a full count on six pitches. Thomas drove the seventh pitch over the fence in center for a walk-off home run.
