The Rye High School baseball team spotted #16 ranked Ignacio a five-run lead in the first two innings of their post season meeting and then struggled the rest of the game to try and catch up.
Even though the Thunderbolts outhit their opponent 11-6, they couldn’t make up the deficit and went home, 5-4 losers in their first post season game.
Senior Brandon Benz hit a solo homerun in the contest and senior Blake Walton drove in another run. Senior Will Hamler had a pair of hits and Branson Burbidge also drove a run in during the losing effort.
Senior Aydin Swald pitched the entire contest allowing four earned runs and six hits. He struck out 10 and walked one batter.
Hamler and Walton, between them handled 17 chances resulting in 16 put outs and one assist.
“Being down 5-0 in post season play makes it pretty difficult,” shared Coach Stacey Graham.
“We weren’t locked in at the start of the game.”
On May 14, Rye ended the regular season with a bases clearing double by Axton Ehrlich in a come from behind 5-4 victory.
Ehrlich scored a run, had two hits and drove in three runs.
Swald had two hits and drove in a run and Hamler had two hits and scored a run.
Ehrlich was the winning pitcher, going a pair of innings, giving up three hits and two earned runs. He struck out one.
Swald worked the first five innings. He gave up six hits, one earned run, struck out three and walked one.
Hamler, Walton and Swald played error free ball in the field. Hamler, Walton, Benz and Swald are seniors and Graham knows there will be big shoes to fill next season.
Rye ended up with a 11-12 record but were 9-3 in the league and finished third.
“We played good, clean baseball the last six or seven games of the year,” assessed Graham. “Already looking forward to next year.”