Prep baseball: Redwood rallies past Novato on Gersch’s clutch triple
Redwood High leadoff batter Sam Gersch says he was just trying to hit the ball up the middle.
Try as he might have, Gersch had to settle for a towering game-winning triple off the right field fence in the bottom of the sixth as the Giants came-from-behind to defeat scrappy Novato 7-4 Tuesday in Larkspur.
Redwood (9-1, 8-1 MCAL) bounced back from its initial MCAL baseball setback – a 5-2 loss to Marin Catholic on Saturday – and Gersch said the focus Monday in practice was better at-bats.
“After Saturday, when things didn’t go our way – especially at the plate – we knew we had to come back and just hit the ball hard,” said Gersch, who reached base in all four trips to the plate. “The focus of the whole team was to put our foot on the gas and not let up.”
The Giants, however, did suffer from something of an empty tank in the middle innings.
After a first-inning three-spot — highlighted by Lucas Ghio’s one-out, two-run single — Redwood managed just one hit and no runs through the next four innings.
A lot of that was brought on by Novato starting pitcher Griffin Vorhaus, who settled into a smooth groove after his first-inning troubles.
“We hit when we had to – let’s put it that way,” Redwood coach Mike Firenzi said. “But Novato did a great job. That’s a good team they’ve got over there. There are no lay-ups in this league.”
Redwood starting pitcher Chas Veley also ran into some early trouble when he gave up a single and a double in the first after striking out the leadoff batter.
The difference was Veley worked out of the jam unscathed – in large part because of a leaping grab by shortstop Ghio, who robbed J.P. Harmon of two RBIs.
Veley’s main trouble came later when he allowed a walk and a single to start the fifth.
Firenzi called on reliever Matthew Knauer, who also did not fare well early.
Harmon jumped on Knauer’s second pitch, drilling a run-scoring double into the left-center field alley. Cash Campbell stepped up to the plate and promptly gave the Hornets the lead when he laced a two-run single into left field.
Knauer struck out the next two batters and finally worked out of the inning with no more damage when first baseman Chase Johnson climbed the ladder to haul down a liner off the bat of Scott Rios.
Knauer retired the Hornets (8-5, 5-2) in order for the first time all game in the sixth and Redwood rallied in the bottom of the frame.
Ethan Ferry collected his third hit of the game to start the winning rally and Kyle Brooks roped a double to center. Johnson drove in the tying run with a line-drive sacrifice fly to deep center to set the stage for Gersch’s big hit.
“It was a fastball that I just barreled up,” Gersch said of his three-bagger. “I kind of struggled at the plate last year. But when I found out I was the leadoff hitter this season, it gave me new energy. I know I just have to get on base no matter what.”
Redwood’s spark plug second baseman Theo Trono wrapped up the four-run rally when he scorched a single up the middle to score Gersch from third.
Knauer, who was the winning pitcher, departed after issuing back-to-back one-out walks in the seventh.
Jack Gurley came in from the bullpen and fanned the next two batters to end the game.
“Gurley came in and did a great job,” Firenzi said. “Strikes are a beautiful thing.”
The only downside to Redwood’s gritty comeback victory was the possible loss of ace starting pitcher Rex Solle, who apparently strained a hamstring muscle running to first base in the sixth inning.
The Giants travel to Novato on Saturday to take on San Marin in a game that could go a long way toward settling the MCAL regular season champ.