Rogers Delivers Eight Innings in Cropdusters 3-1 Game 1 Win
Left-hander Kyle Rogers allowed just one run in eight innings against the Braves, giving the Cropdusters a 1-0 advantage in the best-of-three semifinal series.
By Evan Joseph
OLNEY, Md. – Behind an efficient eight-inning outing from starting pitcher Kyle Rogers (West Chester), the top-seeded Olney Cropdusters opened the Cal Ripken Sr. Collegiate Baseball League Semifinals with a 3-1 victory over the No. 4 seed South County Braves on Saturday night at First Responder Field.
With the Game 1 win, the Cropdusters take a 1-0 lead in the three-game playoff series. The series now shifts to South County for Game 2. An Olney win Sunday would advance them to the championship series, while a Braves win would send them back to First Responder Field on Monday for a decisive Game 3.
Rogers set the tone early for Olney, tossing a clean first inning before navigating his only major bump of the evening in the second.
South County loaded the bases with one out following two walks and a Ben Robinson (NJIT) single, allowing Ryan Henson (Mary Washington) to lift a sacrifice fly to put the Braves ahead 1-0. Rogers responded with his second strikeout of the inning to limit the damage.
The Cropdusters answered back in the bottom of the third. Dylan Melton (Florida Atlantic) drew a leadoff walk and Andrew Duncan (Duke) was hit by a pitch to put two runners on with no outs. After Patrick Gozdan (West Chester) moved both runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt, Giuseppe Salvatore (New Mexico) grounded out to drive in Melton and knot the score at 1-1.
From there, both pitching staffs locked into a rapid duel. Rogers was dominant through the middle frames, retiring the Braves in order in the third and fifth while benefiting from clean defensive play behind him. Third baseman Sammy Berman (Maryland) turned a slick double play to snuff out a South County rally in the sixth, and Rogers picked off a runner at first in the seventh to keep the contest tied.
Braves starter Reed Little (Hampden-Sydney) was equally effective, working through four solid innings before handing the ball off to reliever Ryan Petro (Lynchburg), who tossed three scoreless frames of his own.
The game remained deadlocked at 1-1 until the bottom of the eighth, when the Olney offense finally broke through.
Berman sparked the rally by drawing a leadoff walk and moving to second on a balk. Max Wearing (Rutgers) then hit a single through the infield to send Berman to third. Wearing advanced to second on the throw back in.
With two runners in scoring position, hometown hero Brian Scott (Frostburg State) stepped up to the plate and delivered the game’s decisive blow, lining a two-run single to score both Berman and Wearing and hand Olney a 3-1 lead.
Scott and Melton added stolen bases later in the frame to keep the pressure on, but Braves reliever Colin Miller (Clarion) struck out the next two batters to prevent further damage.
Handed a two-run cushion in the top of the ninth, Olney closer Zach Harris (Messiah) made quick work of the South County lineup. He struck out the first two batters he faced before forcing a flyout to secure the final out and seal the 3-1 victory.
Rogers earned Player of the Game honors for his masterful performance on the mound. The Olney ace allowed just one earned run on four hits and three walks over eight innings, throwing 61 of his 97 pitches for strikes while striking out five.
South County’s Ayden Albright (VMI) stood out for the Braves in the loss, reaching base in three of his plate appearances with a 2-for-2 night and a walk.
The Cropdusters will look to sweep the series and secure a spot in the CRSCBL Championship Game when they travel to South County High School at 7 PM Sunday for Game 2.