Wellington Starts District Slate With 10-4 Win Over Palm Beach Gardens

Wellington Catcher Lovett On Deck

The Palm Beach Gardens Gators tallied four runs on eight hits in their home opener, but it wasn’t enough against Wellington’s relentless attack as Wellington won 10-4 in a District 8A-9 matchup on Wednesday.

Welllington scored its 10 runs on 10 hits and committed one error.

Gardens scored first in the bottom of the second. With one out, senior Nick Oberg reached base on a walk. Matt Williams was up next and drove the ball deep to right field where it glanced off the right fielder’s glove. Two batters later, with runners on second and third, Nick Gallo roped a fastball over the left fielder’s head to the warning track. Two runs scored on Gallo’s double, and he advanced to third on a wild throw to home plate.

The Wellington Wolverines responded with a rally of their own in the top of the third. Leadoff hitter Tyler Corbin started the inning with one of his three walks on the night. After Corbin stole second, Jared Tosner hit a hard grounder that went through the hands of the third baseman and into left field. Corbin scored from second on the play, leaving a man on first for cleanup hitter and University of Miami commit Peter Rivera. Rivera roped a high-hooking ball that hit the top of the left-field wall just inside the foul pole. It was hit so high that Tosner looked first to tag up and advanced only to second.

“I thought it was foul when I hit it actually,” Rivera said. “I think the wind heading out to right kept it fair. But yeah, once somebody starts it, we just keep the ball rolling. Everybody kind of contributes.”

After a Gators pitching change, catcher James Lovett kept the momentum going with a two-run double to left. Kaelan Jacobs followed with a single that deflected off first base before bounding into left, plating Lovett from second. Michael Cusenza capped the inning with an RBI single to left. Wellington scored five runs in the inning on five hits.

The score remained at 5-2 until Palm Beach Gardens came to the plate in the bottom of the fourth. JJ Schwartz led off the inning with a double to right. Oberg, Williams and James Jean followed with three straight singles to make it 5-4.

But the Gators’ pitching staff couldn’t keep the Wolverines off the base paths. The Wolverines had the bases loaded in the fourth with just one out when a popped-up squeeze bunt resulted in an inning ending double play. In the top of the fifth, Wellington added four more runs on two hits and four walks. The Wolverines added another run in the seventh.

Walks hurt the Gators all night. Starter Joey Boyd allowed only one hit in two and a third innings of work, but surrendered five walks and struck out four en route to a loss. Riley Colbath relieved Boyd in the third and also went two and a third. Ricky Testa pitched the final two and a third.

“We had nine walks and two hit batsmen,” Gardens coach Joe Russo said. “You put that many guys on base, it’s tough to win. We battled back and made it close, but hey, we’ve got to keep working. It doesn’t get any easier.”

Wolverine coach Scott Riddle praised the Gators’ lineup and acknowledged that his own team has a long way to go if they want to win the district crown.

“Everybody in their lineup, one through nine, swings the bat very well, so there’s a lot to be said about holding them to four runs,” Riddle said. “We’re happy to be 1-0, but we’re far, far away from being ready to compete for this district title though. We’re sloppy in too many places right now, so I’m glad we have a few days to get some work in. One down and seven to go.”

Leave a comment using your facebook account!