Wait Pays Off for Rohrbough, St. Genevieve

For Mike Rohrbough, the game was worth the wait. The St. Genevieve High right-hander waited along with everyone else while Wednesday night’s game against Bell-Jeff was delayed a half-hour until somebody could open an equipment shed to turn on the lights at Foy Field in Burbank.

Nobody knew it at the time, but Rohrbough had the key the whole time: not to the equipment shed but to retiring Bell-Jeff batters.

Rohrbough scattered four hits as St. Genevieve breezed to a 12-2 Santa Fe League victory to remain in a tie for first place with Chaminade.

Rohrbough, however, was less than pleased with his performance, despite striking out six and retiring the side in order four times.

“Nothing was really working for me,” said the senior, who improved to 5-1. “My defense did a real good job backing me up.”

His coach, however, placed the credit squarely on the shoulders of Rohrbough. St. Genevieve, it seems, appreciates its top-flight pitching staff.

“Rohrbough hadn’t pitched in over a week or so,” St. Genevieve Coach Kevin Kane said. “With Roland De La Maza, we have two No. 1 pitchers.

“If pitching is 80% of the game, I’m the envy of every coach in the Valley with these two.”

St. Genevieve (11-2, 5-0 in league play) pounded out 10 hits and took advantage of seven errors and five walks as the Valiants scored in every inning. Second baseman Alfonso Gutierrez was 3 for 3 with two runs batted in and catcher Frank Aguirre was 2 for 3.

Tom Stanley singled home Rod Arancaia in the third inning for Bell-Jeff’s first hit and first run. The Guards are 5-7-1, 3-2.