GA Sports: Baseball Opens Season with Two Rallies

The Germantown Academy baseball team might just be a group of fighters, if the Patriots' first two games of the season are any indication. The team came from behind in both contests, tying the Salisbury School (Conn.) 5-5 before rallying to defeat Milton Academy (Mass.) 4-3.

Playing in Port St. Lucie, Fla. as part of a five game tournament against private schools from around the country, the Patriots found themselves down 2-0 after just one inning against Salisbury. Things didn't get any better for starting pitcher Luke Reilly in the second, as three more runs would cross the plate. Reilly would be relieved after the third with a line of three earned runs, four walks, and three strikeouts, and wasn't helped much by Germantown's four fielding errors.

Down 5-0 in the third, the Patriots began their rally by plating a run. They'd follow it up with another in the fourth, and go on to score three in the seventh to permanently knot the game at 5-5.

Outfielder Andrew Leopold led the Patriots with 3 RBIs on just one hit, and utilityman John Aiello went 2-2 with a pair of runs and two walks. Germantown hitters struck out 12 times on the day and left ten men on base.

Aiello would take the mound in the next game against Milton Academy, and give up a run in the top of the first. After his team responded by plating two in the bottom of the inning, Aiello would again fall behind by giving up two in the 2^nd to make the score 3-2.

However, the freshman settled in after that, giving up three runs, four hits, and two walks in five innings while striking out four. The Patriots would score two more in the sixth, giving them a 4-3 lead that held up after seven innings of regulation.

The Patriots would get only four hits on the day, and just one RBI from infielder Daniel Hoy on a double. Instead, Germantown worked four walks and Hoy and Aiello would each swipe a bag each to advance around the bases.

The team remains in Florida through Thursday to take on Newark Academy (N.J.), The Rivers School (Mass.) and The Taft School (Conn.) before returning to play against Roman Catholic next Monday.