Blood's Grand Slam Powers Howell Past Mustangs

Not much has been going right for the Howell High School boys baseball team these days.

In their Monday afternoon game against Brick Memorial, it looked to be much of the same as the Mustangs (4-4) erased a 2-0 deficit, tying the game with a solo home-run in the top of the fifth inning. In the end the Rebels hit their stride for at least one game as they bounced back for an 8-4 victory.

This time, however, the Rebels had an answer of their own.

In the bottom half of the fifth, Travis White lead off with a single to left, followed by Joe Raccuglia reaching base on a attempted sacrifice bunt. As Will Reipe attempted to sacrifice the runners over, the Mustangs made the throw to third base, but White beat it out, loading the bases.

Senior Brian Blood took advantage of the fielding mistakes, blasting a grand-slam, and putting the Rebels up 6-2 on their way to the victory on their home field.

"I did [want the bat in my hands]," Blood said, "I've been hitting the ball good the last three games and I felt good."

"I didn't know about a grand slam," he said, "I just wanted to get us some runs so we could get on top and take the lead."

Jordan Reizer gave Howell an early 1-0 lead when he drove in Raccuglia with an RBI single to left field. Raccuglia legged out an infield single to second base and was sacrificed over on a bunt from Riepe.

The Rebels added to their lead in the second inning when Brody High was hit by a pitch to open the inning. He came around to score on a wild pitch four batters later.

Brick Memorial scored in the third inning on an RBI infield single from captain Mike Rytelewski and tied the game in the top of the fifth when Ryan Civello blasted a solo home run, before Blood blew the game open.

"It was important to get this win," Howell head coach Eric Johnson said, "Just from a standpoint of getting through the rest of this season, this was really important."

Junior Jordan Whalen made the start for the Rebels, last three innings and allowed just one earned run on six hits. He struck out one batter and walked one as well, but did a tremendous job of escaping trouble.

Brick Memorial had the bases loaded with one-out in the top of the first, but Whalen was able to get Mustangs catcher Chris Austin to ground into the 4-6-3 double-play to end the inning.

Howell tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the sixth when Raccuglia belted an RBI double and Blood added his fifth RBI with a fielders choice in the infield.

"We are not out of it," Johnson said, "We don't have to be .500 to make states anymore, so we know we are very capable of making a run."

Anthony Carbajal came in relief for Howell, also throwing three innings, allowing two earned runs on three hits, walking two and striking out two. He also got the win for Howell.

Still, the leadership of Blood appeared to be the difference-maker in the win, approaching his clutch at-bat with confidence and poise.

"I knew he was going to get at least one run in," Johnson said.

"I hope our guys think that [I'm a leader]," Blood said, "I think I work harder or just as hard as anyone out there and I want to prove it with hits like that."

Howell will travel to Middletown South to take on the Eagles at 3:45 p.m., on Wednesday as they try to avenge a home loss to Middletown South earlier in the year.