Mistakes Cost Marauders Win

A shorthanded Belmont Senior Babe Ruth squad only had one hit Thursday through six at bats, yet they still found themselves tied, 2-2, with a talented Cambridge team entering the bottom of the sixth inning.

Despite five errors already behind him, Belmont starting pitcher Mark Rocha kept his team in the game up to that point by buckling down when it mattered most. With Rocha on the mound, Cambridge (11-3) left the bases loaded in the first, second and fifth innings at St. Peter's Field in Cambridge and stranded two runners in scoring position in the fourth.

However, even on his game, Rocha couldn't overcome two more errors, the team's sixth and seventh, in the bottom of the sixth inning, as Cambridge scored three more unearned runs to take a 5-2 lead and the game.

"Rocha pitched a great ball game," Belmont coach Dan Kelleher said. "He deserved a better fate. All the runs he gave up were unearned."

A rising junior at Belmont High School, Rocha also fielded his position well. He caught a come-backer at his shoelaces with the bases loaded in the first inning, and he snagged a hard groundball to his left to rob a hit in the sixth.

Overall, he's had a great summer season, according to Kelleher.

"He's starting to look like a varsity pitcher," Kelleher said of the 16-year-old who played junior varsity this past spring.

Matt Paolillo filled in at shortstop for Belmont due to a few teammate absences and made a number of nice plays, including throwing a runner out from the sitting position after slipping on a ball up the middle.

Belmont (5-6) got one run in the third inning off the team's only hit. Right fielder Kevin Viglirolo knocked in catcher Eric Griswold, who walked, with a bloop single.

They scored again in the fifth inning. Third baseman Michael Richardson drew a lead-off walk, was advanced on a sacrifice bunt and then got home on a groundout plus an error.

Cambridge's Greg Bilikas pitched a complete game for the win.

Belmont returns to action at 5:45 p.m. tonight against the Medford Indians at Brendan Grant Memorial Field.