By MIKE ALONGI
LYNN — Tyler Rockefeller owned the day Monday as he hit two home runs to lift Winthrop past Lynn Shore, 5-2, in the opening round of the District 16 baseball tournament at Kiley Park.
“I thought it was a very well-played game from both teams,” said Winthrop coach Tom Montgomery. “Everyone was making their plays in the field and doing their job, we just got a couple more hits and our pitcher pitched a great game.”
Rockefeller knocked in all five runs to go along with his two homers and also pitched a complete game, giving up two runs on one hit with four walks and eight strikeouts.
“We’ve been watching him all year, and he just keeps getting better,” said Montgomery. “And he’s been hitting the bejesus out of the ball lately. He hit a ball in practice today farther than any of us had ever seen.”
For Lynn Shore, pitcher Aiven Cabral and first baseman Brian Polanco each had one RBI. Cabral also had a solid day on the mound despite taking the loss, giving up five runs on four hits with four walks and 12 strikeouts.
Winthrop got the scoring going right away. After a groundout to start the bottom of the first, third baseman Colin Kinsella singled. Next up was Rockefeller, who smashed a two-run blast over the rightfield fence on the first pitch he saw.
Cabral recovered after the homer, striking out the next two batters to close out the first and then striking out the side in the second inning.
However, more trouble came about in the bottom of the third. After two walks to start the inning, Rockefeller stepped in and hit another home run, this time over the centerfield fence, to make it 5-0.
Lynn Shore tried to mount a comeback in the top of the fourth. After Gordo Duverge led off with a walk and stole second base, Cabral stepped in and hit a wicked line drive all the way to the centerfield fence for a long single. Duverge came in to score to put Lynn Shore on the board.
A walk and a hit batter loaded the bases with one out for Polanco, who earned an RBI by way of a walk to make it 5-2. With the bases still loaded and Rockefeller getting a bit wild, things looked like they could get out of hand. But Rockefeller kept his cool and calmly struck out the next two batters to end the inning and get out of the jam.
Rockefeller closed things down from that point, only allowing one baserunner over the final two innings and notching a quick 1-2-3 inning to end the game in the top of the sixth.
“Not only was his hitting huge for us today, but he pitched great as well,” Mongomery said of Rockefeller. “He’s really come around with his entire game, he’s a great ballplayer.”
Winthrop plays again on Friday against the winner of the Salem–Swampscott game, which will be played today at 5:45 p.m. at Wyoma. Lynn Shore will play the loser of the Salem-Swampscott game in the loser’s bracket on July 5.
