With a chance to clinch a postseason berth outright Monday afternoon, the Rochester baseball team took advantage of the opportunity in a 5-2 victory over Aberdeen in 2A Evergreen Conference play.
The Warriors will have another shot against the Bobcats on Tuesday, with an opportunity to avoid a district pigtail matchup and the third-seed in the 2A District 4 playoffs with a win.
“The kids have it all figured out,” Rochester coach Brad Quarnstrom said. “Last week when things were shaping up, we got them together and told them that we control our own destiny. We’re shooting for that 3-seed.”
Rochester again fell behind early, with a couple of errors leading to a 2-0 deficit after three innings before the bats finally came alive in the fourth.
Ethan Rodriguez went 2 for 4 with an RBI at leadoff, Mason Ubias added a 2 for 4 line with an RBI and a run scored, and Braden Hartley went 1 for 3 with a run scored, an RBI, a walk drawn, and a double.
On the bump, Hyde Parrish was strong again for the Warriors, with both runs scored unearned in a complete game performance. Parrish allowed just four hits, walked six, and struck out four, getting out of most of the jams he found himself in, including in the seventh with the bases juiced and one out.
Parrish induced a double play to end it, with the ball finding Brady Baird in the outfield and the senior gunning down a Bobcat back at first for the final out.
“It was a good baseball game,” Quarnstrom said. “It was a pitchers’ duel for the most part, both guys threw really well. Hyde just commanded the strike zone. He’s gained confidence throughout the year. He knows when he needs to make a pitch. He’s not out there trying to strike everyone out, he’s trying to make them put it in play and he’s been consistent for us.”
The Warriors take on the Bobcats for the EvCo’s third-seed Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. in Aberdeen.
