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Robinson Stuns Hayfield 18-3 in First Round of Baseball Region Tournament

Rams come through in the clutch and score most runs all season

Entering the AAA Northern Region baseball tournament, Robinson (9-13) finished last in the Concorde District with a 2-8 district record, while Hayfield had won 20 games and was the regular season and National District tournament champion.

Records don’t lie, but they also don’t mean anything in a one game playoff format.

After an hour weather delay and a game that lasted over four hours, Robinson lit up Hayfield for a season-high 18 runs to defeat the Hawks 18-3 and advance to the region quarterfinals.

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“We’ve had some really tough games in the Concorde and I don’t think our record is indicative of that,” Robinson head coach Jeff Ferrell said.

The Rams had a solid performance on the pitching mound by senior starter Connor Graber, who allowed only two runs in five innings.

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Graber was unfazed with the weather delay after the first inning against a strong hitting Hayfield roster that featured four players that will be playing at the collegiate level next season.

“I was warmed up, so I just felt like I had to get warmed up again and was good to go,” said Graber. “It means a lot to us. We’ve had some close games this season.”

Hayfield, which scored 17 runs and had five home runs in their National District championship victory against Yorktown had an off night offensively against the Rams.

“We knew we had our hands full with a very good hitting team,” Ferrell said of Hayfield’s notable production offensively. “With [Connor ] Graber starting, he’s had some very good outings for us. We felt like if he comes out here and does what he does every time on the road [we’re good]. I don’t think he’s lost a road game. He’s got good velocity and I was really happy with how he threw.”

After Hayfield tied the game 2-2 in the bottom of the fourth inning with runs driven in by Bryan Dirosario and Justin Drechsler, the Rams found momentum in the top of the fifth inning.

Robinson found lightning in a bottle after Chase Bailey connected on a deep two-run home run to propel the Rams to a 4-2 lead. Bailey’s homer came on an 0-2 pitch count.

“I was just sitting fastball,” Bailey said. “I knew he [Hayfield pitcher Cory Spera] had to give me something within the strike zone because his curveball wasn’t working. I was really locked in on his fastball, so I saw that pitch really well.”

Bailey’s home run literally opened up the floodgates at the damp HayField of Dreams.

The Rams scored five runs in the fifth and Joe Priftis tacked on a double to drive in two runs, while Michael Kann also advanced a runner home.

The Rams profited their fifth inning momentum with a three run sixth inning. The highlight of the inning was a bases loaded double by Alex Torres, which drove in two runs.

Even past 11 p.m., Robinson’s bats continued to dominate in the final inning. The Rams scored eight runs in the seventh, which was sparked by Denis Mikush’s double which sent home three runs.

Hayfield’s season comes to a close, but 2011 was memorable for the Hawks. It was only the second time in program history that Hayfield had won a district championship.

“I told the kids that every team in the state losses their last game except one and this is not the way we wanted to go out,” Hayfield head coach Jimmy Linza said. “We wanted to represent our district a little better and about that we’re disappointed. Taken this game and putting that aside, they were tremendous.”

Robinson plays Stone Bridge in the region quarterfinals next. The game will be played at W.T. Woodson High School in Fairfax on Monday at 1 p.m. The Bulldogs advanced by virtue of an 11-3 first round win over W.T. Woodson.

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