Eighth inning rally leads Broadway to comeback victory

By Matthew Atkins

BRIDGEWATER - The Bridgewater Reds and Broadway Bruins met last night for the third time this season in what has been one of the most interesting matchups in the RCBL. The two teams went to battle for second place in the Western Division, with Broadway earning a 15-13 comeback victory over the Reds.
 
“We just stuck together, stuck through it the whole time,” Broadway centerfielder Dan Fry said after the game. “I wish there was one turning point, but man we came back, what, two or three times. We just kept fighting through it. It was awesome.”
 
Fry was ecstatic following the victory, and he had every right to be. The first-year player finished the night 3-for-5 with three runs scored and five RBIs.
 
The game started out as a pitchers’ duel, with the first runs not coming until the fourth inning. The Bruins struck first as Fry hit a solo home run to lead off the fourth, but the Reds answered back with five runs in the bottom of the inning and three runs each in the sixth and seventh innings.
 
With Bridgewater leading 11-4 in the top of the eighth, the Bruins started to  chip away at the Reds’ lead. By the time Fry stepped into the batter's box, the Bruins had already put six runs across the plate in the inning.
 
Fry stepped up with the bases loaded and two outs, ready to give the Broadway faithful something to cheer about. He made solid contact on the first pitch he saw, hitting a three-run double to give Broadway a 13-11 lead late in the game.
 
“I was just ready to swing and I knew it was a huge turning point in the game,” Fry said. “That was something I really needed to get a ball in play. It didn’t matter, fly out or anything. I just needed to get a hit, get some runs in there.”

Broadway ended up scoring nine runs on five hits in the eighth as the Bruins took the lead back for the first time since the fourth inning.
 
“I was kind of running off everybody else and I felt great going to the plate, no worries or anything because I knew we’d come back,” Fry said.
 
The Bruins tacked on a few insurance runs in the top of the ninth on a two-RBI single by Boo Dean to make the score 15-11.
 
Bridgewater wouldn’t go down easily in the final frame, though. Reds catcher Tyler Mahone hit his third home run of the night, a two-run homer to right field, to keep the Reds’ hopes alive. Tucker Garrison doubled in the next at bat to put a runner in scoring position with the top of the Bridgewater order coming to the plate.
 
Shortstop Tyler Bocock stepped into the box with two outs and a chance to tie the game for the Reds. He made contact on the first pitch he saw, driving it to deep centerfield.
 
As if driving in the go-ahead run an inning earlier wasn’t enough, Fry had one more chance to be the hero for the Bruins. He sprinted through the outfield to chase down Bocock’s fly ball, just making the leaping catch to end the game and give Broadway the victory.  
 
“I did not think I was going to get that at first,” Fry said. “He hit the crap out of that ball. It was tailing away and I had just enough speed to make up to it.”
 
The catch elicited cheers from the Broadway fans in attendance and earned Fry a Gatorade shower from his teammates, which he said he enjoyed.
 
“Oh yeah, it felt great except sitting in the car all wet and stuff,” Fry said. “I’d do it every time if we pull out wins like this because we really needed this one. We had a couple rough games before, had a rough game against them last time, so coming out like this is a real good one.”
 
The Bruins are now 12-4 on the season and in second place in the Western Division following the win. They trail the Clover Hill Bucks by one game. The Bruins have a few days off before they return to action on Thursday, hosting Montezuma in another Western Division matchup.  

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