The intensity was back and so were the bats for the Rock Bridge baseball team.
After getting nearly shut out against Blue Springs South on Saturday, the Bruins’ players stood the entire game at home against Mexico, cheering their teammates on to an 8-5 win.
Pitching is what most expect to get the Bruins the win, but it was fielding and offense that got them the win against Mexico. The offense was also helped by some Mexico errors.
“The bats got through tonight,” coach Terry Whitney said. “Our pitching did well. We used five pitchers, and we are still trying to get a feel for things because it is early in the year. But our offense really came alive with the spring breakers coming back. We did get helped by the sun and the wind a little though.”
Mexico made two costly errors. The right fielder lost the ball in the sun both times.
“It’s really hard to play right field here because the way the stadium is set up,” Whitney said. “And it’s even harder to play when the sun is setting because it is directly in that right fielder’s eyes. It made it even harder on them tonight because the wind was blowing hard toward right.”
No one was helped more by the sun than junior Brandon Gerau. Gerau hit a two-RBI inside-the-park home run and a triple, both thanks in part to the sun in right field.
“I knew that the sun was going to be a problem today,” Gerau said. “So when I hit the ball up to right field, I just ran as hard as I could to see how far I could get. It felt really good, especially since I just got back from spring break and this is my first game back. It was nice to get back in the swing of things.”
The Bruins also had three stolen bases.
“We work on baserunning a lot,” Whitney said. “We are not a power team, so we work on getting good jumps and making contact.”
Rock Bridge moves to 2-1 with its 14-hit performance.