The Giants visited Drake High School Thursday afternoon and beat the Pirates 7-3 in six and a third rainy innings. Redwood started Jake Hake on the bump, who threw three innings of shutout baseball, striking out two and conceding just two hits. With wet weather in the forecast, scoring early and often was on everybody’s mind, given the definite possibility of the contest being called after five innings. The Giants did just that, scoring five runs in the top of the second inning.
Nick Cook reached first on a walk. Cook then stole second. Jarod Robinow then drew a walk, putting 
runners at first and second base for the return of last year’s MVP, Robbie Wilson, who laid down a perfect bunt toward first base, loading the bases. Zack Gordon then drove the ball up the middle, which the Drake infielder could not handle, scoring Cook and Robinow (2-0). Gordon would end up on second base and Wilson at third. Sam Warren then singled up the middle, scoring Wilson (3-0) and moving Gordon to third. Jacob Klionsky hit a deep sacrifice fly to center, scoring Gordon (4-0) and moving up the speedy Warren to third after tagging up. Jackson Barry then singled to right field, scoring Warren (5-0, Redwood)
In the bottom half of the second, Drake had a man at third with two outs. After drawing a walk at the plate, the Drake runner mistakenly started home only to discover he was the only man on base. Catcher, Jake Nordstrom, quickly showed the runner the error of his ways, ending the scoring threat after tagging him out after a brief rundown.
In the third inning, Robbie Wilson served notice of his return with a solo home run over the left field fence (6-0). Defensively, Jackson Barry snared a line drive down the third base line to keep Jack Hake’s shutout alive.
In the fourth, Ryan Jessen batted for Gordon. Ryan delivered with a hard hit double to right-center field. Sam Warren then drove the ball off the left field fence, scoring Jessen (7-0). Drake would pick up one run in the bottom half of the inning (7-1, after four). Wilson returned to the hill for his first outing of the season after battling injury, throwing twenty-one pitches, conceding just the one run.
With the rain starting to come down in the fifth, the Giants needed three outs to make it official. Jackson Bender was given the difficult task of throwing off a muddy hill in the rain. Bender struck out one batter for the first out. Drake was able to get runners on board, however, and the contest tightened after two runs crossed the plate, making it 7-3 with one out. With runners in scoring position, Drake’s #5 batter connected with a ball to deep left field. The game looked to be in jeopardy with runners taking off in belief he had drove the ball over Jacob Klionsky’s head. Klionsky had different plans, however, tracking down the ball and making a game saving catch over his shoulder. Jacob alertly got the ball back to second base, where Zack Gordon stepped on second base for the inning ending double play. Gordon stepped into the batter’s box and bunted the ball into play for the ceremonial first out of the sixth inning. The umpire then ended the game given the heavy downpour of rain. Final Score: 7-3
Redwood is on spring break and will return to start the second half of the season next Thursday April 13th.
Here’s a link to all the photos: http://www.jordanwarren.photography/p179174971