Rotary rolls past Hobie

Rotary rallied from an early one-run deficit to storm past Hobie,

8-2, in Majors Division play at Laguna Beach Little League’s Riddle

Field.

The comeback victory was aided by the pitching of Raphael Vickers,

Chris Lavery and Michael Hyden, plus the hitting of Lavery, Hyden,

Michael Rubel and Michael Maxsenti.

Rotary took a 1-0 first inning lead as Maxsenti’s single scored

Lavery.

Hobie, however, came back to forge a 2-1 lead, using an Austin

Hillemann double, walk to Keaton Jones, Cole Kennedy reaching base on

an error and Charlie Jackson executing a perfect bunt single.

But Rotary retaliated in the bottom-half of the second to take a

5-2 lead.

Hyden began things with a single and Brett Linkletter reached base

on an error. Drew Wheeler singled and Alex Wheeler, Michael Niebuhr

and Sammy Witte each reached base on a walk, and Sawyer Pierce

reached base on a fielder’s choice before Rubel singled.

With Hyden, Wheeler, Niebuhr and Pierce scoring, Rotary retook the

lead for good.

Vickers proceeded to sent Hobie down in order in the third inning

and finished his three innings of work by yielding just two hits with

four strikeouts.

In the bottom of the third, Vickers and Hyden reached base and

scored to stretch Hobie’s lead to 7-2.

Chris Lavery pitched the fourth and fifth innings for Rotary and

only gave up a bunt single to Jackson Christy.

In the fifth, Lavery doubled off the left field fence and later

scored on Maxsenti’s line drive single to extend the advantage to

8-2.

Hyden pitched a scoreless sixth inning to secure the victory.

Rotary was led defensively by Hyden, Niebuhr, Rubel, Maxsenti and

Bonsey.

Hobie’s Eli Viszolay and Alek Loechner combined to strike out six

and the pitching duo was backed by the defensive efforts of Rex

Strombotne, Tyler Pierce and Charlie Jackson.