East Ridge's Alex Mezzetti (13) moves to get the out at third base. Mezzetti stood out in Wednesday night's matchup against Cretin-Derham Hall managing four hits, leading East Ridge to a 13-5 victory. Photo by Aiyanna Taylor, SportsEngine
The twists and turns of the Class 4A, Section 4 championship never ceased as it quickly became a tale of two very different games. Cretin-Derham Hall played a shutdown opening game one against East Ridge, allowing only five hits during a 3-0 victory. However, the game that followed was anything but low scoring.
By the end of the first inning, the score was already 4-3 in favor of the Raiders. Early walks for Raiders batters snuck them back into the game before sophomore John Henry Kohorst scored two more runners with a deep double. The Raptors kept their focus at the plate and continued to swing for the fences. Eventually, that focus paid off in a big way in the fourth inning.
Up 5-4 at that point, the Raptors went on a hitting spree to the tune of five runs in the inning. Headed by junior Alex Mezzetti, who powered in two doubles, a triple and a home run in the second game, East Ridge pushed into a significant lead. It was a lead the Raptors wouldn’t let go of en route to a 13-5 win, earning them a spot in the state tournament.
East Ridge catcher Benjamin Rudser (30) reaches to get an out at home plate. Photo by Aiyanna Taylor, SportsEngine
East Ridge didn’t let its 3-0 loss in the game one of the Class 4A, Section 4 championship knock it down. In fact, the Raptors played an inspired second game against the Raiders and never let their feet off the pedal.
East Ridge provided sparks of offense throughout game two, leading to a convincing 13-5 victory over Cretin-Derham Hall. Junior Alex Mezzetti was the best of the bunch, connecting on four hits — two doubles, a triple and a home run — for five RBIs. His performance consistently lifted the Raptors’ confidence while they shuffled through pitchers.
One of those pitchers, senior Trevor Lee, was especially clutch to close out the important victory. He tossed four strikeouts in three innings to keep the Raiders batters at bay. That type of performance was just what the Raptors needed to clinch the section championship and earn their spot in the state tournament.
First baseman PJ Jones (12) played solid defense, recording two of three outs in one inning. Photo by Aiyanna Taylor, SportsEngine
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