Aviators Defeated by River Dell 5-4

On senior day at River Dell High School, it was the underclassmen that helped the Golden Hawks pull out a 5-4 win over Hasbrouck Heights.

“[The win] wasn’t pretty, but it counts,” River Dell head coach Brandon Flanagan said. “We’re not gonna give it back.”

River Dell sophomore Tim Barnes pitched four solid innings in relief of starter Evan Stern. The righty Barnes allowed only three base runners—on two walks and gave up a run on an RBI double—all in the top of the seventh inning. He struck out the side in the fifth inning, racking up five ‘K’s’ in total.

“He did a good job for us,” Flanagan said. “He really set the tone.”

The other sophomore hero was left fielder Ryan Duran, who knocked in the winning run for River Dell (13-10), who loaded the bases with no outs, after Hasbrouck Heights (8-9) tied the game with a run in the top of the seventh.

Stern led off the inning with a walk. Designated hitter Dave Crouch hit a single to right. Hasbrouck Heights hurler Ray Espinosa intentionally walked shortstop John Budka to set up the force, but Duran’s game winner foiled that plan. 

“They came through when they needed to,” Flanagan said.

The Golden Hawks had seven hits and Hasbrouck Heights pitching issued 12 walks.

River Dell also scored a run in both the second and third, and two in the sixth. The two runs in the sixth gave the team a 4-3 lead at the team.

Third baseman Dylan Smith went 2-for-2 with a run scored and a walk. Stern went 2-for-3 with an RBI.

After losing to Emerson 4-3 on April 30, River Dell has won six of its last seven, as the Golden Hawks make a push towards a berth in the state tournament.  

River Dell grinded out the win after exploding for 28 runs the previous two days.