MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – La Roche baseball took on Plymouth State in doubleheader action Friday afternoon, taking one of two games, winning in game one and 17-7, but falling in game two 7-3.
GAME ONE: La Roche 17 Plymouth State 7
After a quiet first inning, the Redhawks started the scoring in the top of the second when Tanner Schmitt notched a two RBI triple to score Cameron Mauk and Ricky Heyz to make it 2-0.
The Panthers would respond in the bottom of the second, loading the bases with one out on three consecutive hits, followed by a sacrifice fly to cut the deficit in half to 2-1.
La Roche added to the lead in the top of the fourth, exploding for 13 runs to open a commanding 15-1 lead.
A bunt single by Damon Foster that included an error on the play opened the scoring to make it 3-1, then Dom Brncic reached on another error that brought in Foster to make it 4-1.
Back-to-back bases loaded walks upped the score to 6-1, then Brandon Snyder came through with a two RBI single, making it 8-1.
The Redhawks reloaded the bases and Mauk pulled through with a bases clearing, three RBI double to go up 11-1, and then scored on Foster's RBI double moving it to a 12-1 score.
Heyz drove in the 13th run on a sacrifice fly, then Larry Bielawski belted a two-run homer to extend the lead to 15-1.
In the fourth inning, La Roche had a total line of 13 runs and nine hits, bringing 16 hitters to the plate.
Plymouth State would add four runs of its own in the bottom of the fourth inning behind a solo and two-run home run, as well as a Redhawk error to make it 15-5, then chipped in two more runs in the bottom of the fifth to make it 15-7 with an RBI single and a bases loaded walk.
Brncic responded for La Roche in the top of the sixth, belting a solo homer, his first of the season to up the score to 16-7.
The final tally came in the top of the seventh, when the Redhawks made it a 17-7 game, thanks to Mauk driving in Jackson Merck with an RBI single.
Jared Hough tossed four innings, allowing seven runs (six earned), seven hits, four walks and one strikeout.
Eli Thomas tossed 0.1 inning of relief, allowing two walks with one strikeout, while Sam DiCicco closed out game one, tossing 2.2 innings, allowing just one hit while striking out a pair.
Offensively, the Redhawks peppered the Falcons, as they strung together 14 hits.
Mauk's perfect 4-for-4 outing led the way, while Foster, Brncic and Schmidt all contributed two hits.
GAME TWO: Plymouth State 7 La Roche 3
Game two saw the Panthers jump in front in the top of the first, as they strung together an RBI double, RBI single and a two RBI double to jump in front 4-0.
La Roche was quick to counter, cutting the deficit to 4-3 with a three-run bottom of the first.
Bielawski opened the scoring with an RBI single to score Brncic, followed by Casey Jones' sacrifice fly. Foster drove in Bielawski for the third run of the frame with an RBI double.
Plymouth State jumped back ahead by four runs at 7-3, in the top of the third, after a three-run home run which serve as the final runs scored in the game.
Zach Gift started for the Redhawks, throwing three innings, allowing seven runs, five hits, five walks and struck out two.
Bryson Bubb threw one inning of relief and allowed just one hit and two walks, then Zach Jackson tossed the final three innings, allowing one hit and fanned three.
La Roche concludes its trip to Myrtle Beach tomorrow, Saturday Mar. 16 when they meet Colby-Sawyer for an early morning 9 a.m. first pitch.