4/29: The Varsity Giants improved their league record to 12-1 and remain one win ahead of Marin Catholic with a home win against the Terra Linda Trojans. The last time Redwood scored more than four runs was the last time they played the Trojans one month ago on March 29. Today the Giants scored eleven runs, on twelve hits, while striking out only two times.
Parker Laret earned his second win of the season as he held the Trojans scoreless through four innings while striking out six. Josh Cohen gave up three runs and struck out four in his three innings of work, taking the Giants to a 11-3 victory.
The Giants scored a run in the bottom of the first after Nicolas Belgum led off the game with a double and Parker Laret helped his own cause with a single, scoring Belgum. Redwood scored three more times in the bottom of the second. Henry Zeisler led off the inning with a single and Zach Cohen followed with a hard grounder to the second baseman that was too hot to handle, putting runners on first and second. Zack Kopstein was then drilled by a 1-1 fastball, loading the bases for Gregory Block. Block hit a sacrifice fly, deep enough to advance all three runners one base. Nic Gillies hit a fly ball to left that was dropped, scoring Cohen. With runners on first and third, Coach Firenzi sent Gillies on a steal and as the throw sailed to second base, Zach Kopstein scored from third, putting the Giants up 4-0.
The Trojans came within striking distance, scoring two runs in the top of the fifth after a two-out walk was followed by back-to-back doubles, making the score 4-2. But the Giants answered, scoring two runs in the bottom of the frame as Eric Doctor singled, Aubry Sine walked, and Doctor was knocked in on a single by Henry Zeisler. Zach Cohen plated Sine on a single to the right side, putting the Giants up 6-2 heading into the top of the sixth.
Cohen held the Trojans scoreless in the top of the inning and the Giants exploded for five runs in the bottom of the frame. Trevor Foehr started the rally with a single to right. Nic Gillies singled to left and Nicolas Belgum singled to center, loading the bases. Josh Cohen singled to left, moving the line, scoring Foehr. Eric Doctor banged a 1-0 fastball to center, scoring two runs, putting the Giants up 9-2. Aubry Sine moved the line, scoring Cohen from third on a ground out. Henry Zeisler logged his second RBI on the day, scoring Doctor from third on a hard grounder to the right side. The inning ended with the Giants up 11-2 going into the top of the seventh.
After the bats came alive in the bottom of the sixth, the Giants defense sparkled in the top of the seventh. The Trojans would not go out easy. They led off the inning with a single to center and their next batter rocked a two-hop grounder down the third baseline. Michael Benz made a diving play and erased the Trojan runner on a strong throw across the diamond to first, stealing what looked like a double. The next batter singled to right, putting runners on first and third with one out. Parker Bartlett then stole another Trojan hit as he fielded a hard hit grounder up the middle, fielding it to the right side of second base and fired a strike to Kopstein for the second out of the inning while the runner on third scored. Trojans 3, Giants 11. Josh Cohen ended the threat, striking out the next batter on five pitches.
Trevor Foehr, Josh Cohen, Nic Gillies, Zack Kopstein, Zach Cohen and Parker Laret all had hits while Nicolas Belgum, Eric Doctor and Henry Zeisler added two hits apiece to the Giants total. Zeisler and Doctor each had two RBI’s.
The Giants face Tam on the road on Tuesday.