Big Roy-Hart rally nips Lyndonville

By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 21 April 2016 at 12:00 am

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Roy-Hart’s Andy Xapsos dives back to first base as Lyndonville’s Eric Neace stretches for the throw. The action took place during the Rams come-from-behind win over the host Tigers this afternoon.

Rebounding from a seven run deficit, Roy-Hart came battling back to outscore host Lyndonville 11-2 over the final three innings to claim a wild 12-10 victory in a non league game this afternoon.

Trailing 8-1, Roy-Hart began to rally by scoring four runs in the fifth inning highlighted by a two-run double by Charlie Bruning.

Keeping the momentum, the Rams scored four runs again in the top of the sixth on doubles by Brandon Hess and Ben Maynard along with a single by Al Xapsos and a sacrifice by Bruning to grab the lead at 9-8.

Lyndonville did answer back with three runs in the home half of the sixth on a two-run double by Dawson Joy and a fielders choice play off the bat of Michael Wells but the Tigers could not hold the 10-9 lead.

The last rally and the win belonged to Roy-Hart which scored the deciding three runs in the top of the seventh on a two-run double by Xapsos and an RBI double by Hess.

Lyndonville’s Jacob Hoffee triggers a double play as Roy-Hart’s Ben Maynard slides by at second base.

Bruning, Maynard, Hess and Xapsos each finished with a pair of hits for Roy-Hart.

Joy had three base raps, on two doubles and a triple, and Wells and Eric Neace two hits each for Lyndonvlle.

Lyndonville built up the 8-1 lead by scoring twice in the second inning on a single by Wells and double by Joy; five times in the second on a two-run triple by Joy, a two-run single by Wells and a single by Jacob Hoffee and once in the third on a sacrifice by Nolan Donald.

Defensively, the Tigers turned a double play in the fourth inning from Hoffee at shortstop to Neace at first.

Now at 4-2, Roy-Hart next visits Newfane on Friday in a Niagara-Orleans League game.

Lyndonville, which is now 5-2, will play in its fifth game in as many days on Friday as the Tigers host Notre Dame in a Genesee Region League contest.