Burbank, IL (April 12, 2013) - Reavis scored an amazing 14 unanswered runs in the final three innings, including five runs with two outs in the seventh inning, to defeat the Shepard Astros 15-14 Friday at Czarnecki Field.
"In over 20 years of coaching, I have never been part of a game as incredible as this one," said Coach Erickson. "Not even close. This was unbelievable!"
It was an inauspicious start for the Rams (7-4; 2-1), who committed six errors, allowed ten hits to the Astros through the first five innings, and found themselves down 14-1. "We definitely weren't playing good baseball and it seemed anything that could go wrong, did. You have to give credit to the Shepard starting pitcher, too, though. He was extremely tough."
The Rams were two outs away from losing by slaughter rule in the fifth innning when the bats started to heat up at a windy and cold Czarnecki Field. They scored five runs on hits by Richie Velez, Dan Meskill, and John Deir. They added four more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning on five straight hits by Mike Lally, Joe O'Hara, Velez, Meskill, and Jose Romero to cut the Astro lead to 14-10.
The comeback seemed to fall short in the bottom of the seventh when Jorge Hernandez and Mike Lally were both retired to start the inning. However, the Rams were not going to go down that easily. O'Hara began the rally when he was hit by a pitch and Velez, Meskill, and Romero each walked to make the score 14-11 with the bases loaded. John Deir then fouled off two two-strike pitches before crushing a line drive over the center fielder's head to plate all three runners and tie the score at 14. According to Erickson, "John had the game of a life-time. He hit a three-run double in the fifth to keep the game from ending from the 10-run mercy rule and then three more RBI in the last inning. I was so happy for him. He's a great kid!" With Deir on second and two strikes on Matt Barajas, the junior hit a ball over the right fielder's head to complete the come-from-behind victory for Reavis.
"One great thing about this team is that they never give up," said Coach Kittel. "When we were down by 13 in the fifth, Meskill came in from the field and told the team, 'We are going to win these thing! Let's go!'"
Lally, who picked up his first Varsity win on the mound, pitched great in relief. The senior hurled two scoreless innings and struck out three Astros.
The Rams play at Romeoville on Saturday at 1:00 pm.