Hoboken Baseball Falls to Linden

Linden struck first on Saturday afternoon, jumping on top 1-0 on Chris Roll's second inning solo home-run. It was the first of five home-runs in the game. Linden (3-2) emerged victorious, with a 9-6 win. 

"The score indicated how the wind was blowing," Coach Buddy Matthews said.

Justin Arocho gave the Redwings their only lead of the game in the bottom of the fifth, blasting a two-run shot over the fence in right. 

The Tigers battled back in the top of the fourth. Nick Martens put Linden back on top with a two-run homer to right, followed by a single and then an RBI double to make it 4-2. 

After holding Hoboken scoreless in the fourth, Linden broke the game open in the fifth. Kenny Roder came in to pitch in the inning, relieving Abe Groomes. Brian Glinsky led off with a single and advanced to second on a balk.

Roder struck out the next two batters, but didn't exactly get both outs. Catcher Travis Haber dropped the third strike, and the throw down to first ricocheted off runner Kyle Frasier's helmet. Glinsky came around to score as the ball careened into right field. Linden led 5-2.

Roder got the next batter swinging, but then walked two in a row to load the bases. Ismail Abdul took full advantage, blasting a two-out grand-slam onto the tennis courts beyond right field. The unearned runs in the inning gave Linden the 9-2 advantage.

Hoboken refused to go down quietly. In the bottom of the fifth, 10 batters came to the plate. Abe Groomes came up fifth, with bases loaded and one out. The sophomore added his own grand-slam to the books, bringing Hoboken within three. Linden switched pitchers, and Hoboken loaded the bases again before Duke McCourt grounded out to end the inning.

The Redwings threatened in the sixth, but again stranded two runners as Linden's left fielder made a diving catch to end the inning. In the seventh, they failed to capitalize on Haber's lead-off single. The final score was 9-6.

"We lost because we're not taking advantage with runners in scoring position, throughout the game," Coach Matthews said. "We left six on down the stretch, it was tough. That's too many."

He added that the turning point was the error in the fifth, that made the grand slam possible. 

The top Hoboken batters were Roder (2-4, 1 double, 2RS, 2RBI), Arocho (2-3, 1HR, 1 double, 1RS, 2RBI) and Groomes (3-4, 1HR, 1RS, RBI). On the mound, Groomes gave up six hits, no walks and four earned runs while striking out six over four innings. He is 1-1. Roder went three innings, allowing three hits, zero earned runs, and five unearned runs while striking out two and walking one.

Hoboken is now 2-2 on the season. Earlier this week, the Redwings lost to Kearny 6-3 and defeated St. Mary's 2-1.

The Redwings take the field again at home Monday at 4:30pm against Memorial High School. Coach Matthews says the team will have to "shore up on D and hit in the clutch" in order to come out on top.