In their biggest win of the season, the Rye baseball team dismantled defending Class C State champion Valhalla, 11-0 April 26. It took the Garnets a couple of innings to get going, but when they did they put up three crooked numbers, tallying five times in the bottom of the third,twice more in the fourth, and another four runs in the fifth.
Willis Robbins is now 3-0.
In his first varsity start, senior Seth Beber had a two-run single to put Rye on the board and added another RBI later on. Ryan Ackert, also making his starting debut, had a hit and scored twice. Ryan Crawford and teammate Kevin Turco each hammered out three hits and drove in a pair.
Matt DeGraw makes the turn.
Meanwhile, Willis Robbins gave the Vikings just two hits in his 5 2/3 innings, pushing his record to 3-0 on the season. Jeff Dempsey followed for an inning, and Crawford came on to close out the game with a strikeout.
Including Rye’s 4-0 shutout of Nanuet the following Saturday, Garnet twirlers have given up barely more than a run per game.
“The third inning was the turning point for us,” said Robbins. “Our bats came alive, and because our defense was solid from start to finish, they couldn’t get anything started.”
Head coach Michael Bruno was low-key after the win. “We are off to a great start, but it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish. Today, the team did a great job of keeping the ball rolling … especially the two players who made their first-ever varsity start.”
The 7-1 Garnets took on Fox Lane in a home-and-home series post-press time. They’ll travel to Port Chester, the only team to beat them so far this year, Friday, May 6 for a 4:30 clash.
The Garnets conducted a baseball clinic at the Boys and Girls Club of Sunnyside, Fla. during spring break.
— Melanie Cane
Rye on the Ball 
Leave a comment