The matchup against the Johnson Jaguars on Tuesday lived up to the hype. After 9 innings of play and a score tied at 1-1, the game was stopped and scheduled to resume the next day due to the necessity of playing the following game between Brandeis and Roosevelt. The intensity of the game was palpable among the players, the crowd, and the officials.
The pitching was superb on both sides, however, Reagan’s pitchers shut down the offense of the typically high-scoring team. Starting pitcher, Kaleb Rogers, and reliever, Cody Pictrowski, put the Rattlers in the position of finishing in a tie on day 1. Rogers sliced and diced the Jags with his skillful ball placement, and they could not keep up with his fastball. After giving up a 1-run homer in the 1st inning, Rogers buckled down. He got out of the 2nd with a ground out, a pickoff at first base, and a strikeout. With 2 on and 1 out in the bottom of the 3rd, Rogers elicited a fly out to Caden Crofts in LF and a pop out to Javi Cuevas at second base. Rogers would go on to sit down the Jags, 3-up-3-down in the 5th and 6th innings including 2 huge strikeouts in the 6th. Rogers pitched 105 pitches to 23 batters in 6 innings, striking out 6, walking 4, and allowing 2 hits. Pictrowski took the mound under immense pressure in the bottom of the 7th. Pic immediately took care of business, forcing a ground out, fly out, and pop out. Pictrowski’s multi-angled breaking balls kept the Jags in check, with 2 ginormous strikeouts in the bottom of the 9th. Cody’s bombastic energy on the mound electrified the dugout and crowd, shifting the momentum to the Rattlers. Each defensive inning ended in fist bumps and high fives. Pictrowski pitched 55 pitches to 12 batters in 3 innings, striking out 2, walking 2, and allowing 1 hit and 0 runs.
The magnetic energy carried over when the game resumed the next day. In the top of the 10th, Cuevas led off with a line drive to CF, and there was no looking back for the Rattlers. Reagan went on to get 4 hits in the inning, scoring 4 runs. Jeter Battles singled on a bunt to third base followed by a hard ground ball to RF from Isaiah Robledo. Crofts snapped his metal bat in two which resulted in a dribbler to second base, scoring Cuevas. Next, the Jags intentionally walked Elias Leon and paid the price when Ryland Rangel, with a 2-2 count, singled on a line drive to CF that scored 2 runs and brought the score to 4-1. Michael Yzaguirre reached on an error, then Caleb Cappuccio hit a hard ground ball to LF, scoring Tre Weaver. Calm and cool, Darden Wetherell, came in on the bump for Reagan to close the game. Wetherell’s fastball landed with laser precision at the corners of the strike zone. He seized the moment with his focus and composure. Wetherell struck out the 9th batter in the Jag’s lineup in 5 pitches. Darden caused 2 ground outs to the #1 and #2 batters in the lineup, with clutch defensive plays from Battles at SS and Caleb Crider at third base to end the game. Wetherell pitched 14 pitches to 3 batters, striking out 1, walking 0, and allowing 0 hits or runs. The fans, dugout, and coaches erupted in jubilation at the hard-fought win.
The Rattlers head back to Blossom Athletic Center on Friday, April 19 against the Churchill Chargers at 4:30 pm. Tickets are available at https://my.hometownticketing.com/agency/77056a82-7b7e-4b1f-8be9-9ebe278e3c43/events
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