A crooked number in the fifth inning was enough to lift Rochester to an Opening Day win, as the Warriors topped Ellensburg 10-7 on Saturday at Bob Peters Field.
Both offenses were quiet early, with the only run coming across on a Mason Ubias RBI single in the bottom of the first.
Henry Gramelspacher was outstanding on the bump for the Warriors (1-0), as the senior allowed just two hits and struck out seven in just three innings of work.
“Henry threw phenomenal,” Rochester coach Brad Quarnstrom said. “That was a good outing for him.”
The Ellensburg offense got going in the middle inning, scoring two in both the fourth and fifth to open up a 4-2 lead.
Rochester responded with seven in the bottom of the fifth, all of which scored after the first two batters of the inning were retired.
After a Tate Quarnstrom RBI single, a wild pitch, and a walk gave the Warriors a 5-4 lead, Tayden Martin broke the game open with a bases-clearing three-run double that pushed it to an 8-4 game.
“That was a big one,” Brad Quarnstrom said, while also adding that it was helpful that it was the Warriors’ third time through the lineup.
One batter later, Colton Weiss added an insurance run with an RBI single.
Ellensburg added two more in the sixth and one in the seventh, but they never got closer than three.
“All in all, our pitchers did a good job throwing strikes,” coach Quarnstrom said. “We made all the plays we were supposed to make.”
Ubias finished 2 for 3 with a double and an RBI at the plate, and he also earned the win on the hill.
The Warriors will be back in action on Tuesday at Montesano, and they will host Tenino on Wednesday in their home opener.
