(Photo: Gavin Haggerty got the win on the mound and delivered 4 RBI’s and three hits to spark the comeback win)
By CHRIS BROOKS, managing editor, wellsvillesports.com
WELLSVILLE — There were runs galore in Wellsville and Olean’s second meeting in a week on Tuesday. As opposed to their 8-4 win over the Huskies at St. Bonaventure in their last congregation, the script was flipped this time around when the Section VI reps held a similar lead over the Lions after a brilliant and hot start across the first three innings.
Combined between the two foes, 26 total runs would scratch their way across the plate. And like they have before on many occasions this year in this particular circumstance, Wellsville always finds their way back through the heaviest of fog.
It was no different again.
Trailing by an 8-5 count through the first three frames of play, the Lions displayed no perturbation. Instead, they recovered and detonated a nine-run atomic bomb in the bottom of the fourth inning to emphatically jettison Olean straight out of the driver’s seat for good, completing another herculean comeback in the midst of near-darkness to record their eighth win in their first nine games — their fourth in a row, by an 18-8 count after five innings in the Lion’s Den.
“It wasn’t our prettiest game of the year by any means, we threw the ball around quite a bit and despite it, it was the same old story of working our way back after going down early,” said Lions coach Tom Delahunt. “This team doesn’t quit, especially after you give up all eight runs in the first three innings. We fought our way back and we came up with a fourth inning that served as the ultimate killer for them. We’ll take the win, but we have to play much better than the first half of this game tonight.”
After Olean was able to break the ice with the game’s first two runs, and following a big response from the defense in the field, Wellsville (8-1) was able to syphon what momentum was built and put it to use in their first at-bats, doubling up the Huskies with a four-run frame off two big hits led by Cooper Brockway and Gavin Haggerty, as well as some key special teams play around the bases.
Olean was able to tie the game back up at four once more before exploding in the top of the third with another four-run stand to provide a go-ahead propulsion. In the back half of innings remaining to play, the Lions turned it around once and for all with another magnificent rally back. After blowing through their entire lineup card in one go, along with some aid on the bases, the hosts in black and orange collected a game-changing nine-run offensive stand to claim the 14-8 lead.
The game would reach its conclusion in the bottom of the fifth, as they posted four runs — the last of which, off what was a walk-off single by Alex Green, marking the end of a rally that saw 13 straight runs score.
In total for the offense, Wellsville garnered 18 runs off 12 hits at the plate, as five different Lions all recorded at least a pair of hits.
Captaining the efforts was Gavin Haggerty, who drove in a team-leading four RBI to go with his two hits, scoring twice along the way. Aiden Cowburn, Ty Vogel, Trenton Green and Alex Green each had two hits of their own to add in.
On the mound, the win was credited to Haggerty in relief, as he held the visiting Huskies to just two hits during his tenure, striking out three.
Up next on Thursday is a trip back over the road for the Lions, as they get set to visit the Addison Knights in a 5 p.m. first pitch.
Olean 224 00 – 8 10 4
Wellsville 401 94 – 18 12 3
OLE – Aaron Vincent (4K, 6BB), Chase Vogtli (LP, 3) (3K, 4BB) and Caine Degolier.
WLSV – Aiden Cowburn (5K, 3BB), Gavin Haggerty (WP, 3) (3K) and Alex Green.
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