Coming into their Senior Night game on Monday afternoon, the Glenelg baseball team hadn't competed on a diamond for nearly two weeks thanks to an extended period of unrelenting rain. But after their 1-0 win over first place River Hill on Monday, it doesn't look like the mid-spring hibernation did the Gladiators (9-4) any harm.
"We're glad to be back out here," Glenelg coach Steve Ballance said. "We can do what we need (in the gym) and we just had a tremendous 10 days of practice getting ready for the playoffs."
Senior Brian Olive and junior John McAuliffe combined on a two-hit shutout, and senior Tucker Garufi scored the game's only run after hitting a leadoff double to deep right center field in the sixth, stealing third with two outs, and racing home on a grounder by senior Cole Yungmann.
"In the beginning of the game (River Hill ace) Kieran Garner was throwing his best stuff and I was having struggles at the plate. I struck out looking the one time and swinging the other time," said Garufi, who also helped turn two 3-5-3 double plays at first base. "Then in my final at bat I got in there and I was feeling good. I kept fouling off pitches. It was looking good, I was waiting for that one pitch and I got it and I drove it."
Despite the loss, River Hill (12-3) is still in sole possession of first place heading into the final day of the regular season thanks to Hammond's 5-2 win over second place Howard on Monday.
"We've really got to be grounded," River Hill coach Wes McCoy said. "Today's today, and we'll absorb it and hopefully learn a little bit from it and tomorrow you've just got to come out and do it all again and hope to be better."
The sectional playoffs begin on Friday afternoon.
RH (12-3) 000 000 0 - 1 2 2
G (9-4) 000 001 x - 1 4 2
Garner, Gold (5) and L. Parker. Olive, McAuliffe (5) and Wright.
2B: G — Garufi.