Rollison’s walk-off beats Titans in defensive thriller

ROBBY FLETCHER Sports Editor

There was something different about the Trinity Episcopal Titans when they stepped onto Newell Field to take on the Collegiate Cougars just days after hosting them at their own ballpark.

In the first matchup on May 2, the Cougars dug the Titans into a 9-0 hole by the bottom of the third inning and ultimately ended the game in five innings with a 16-3 win led by Hayden Rollison’s pitching and a fourRBI evening from Miles Prusek.

With the Cougars at 15-4-1 on the season and ranked third in the last VISAA polls, it made sense they’d overpower the 3-14-1 Titans with ease, but with a quick turnaround and a rematch awaiting them on May 5, they surprised everyone in attendance and gave the Cougars one of their most thrilling battles of the season.

In a game that featured a combined six hits between the two teams, just one run separated the two opponents, with that run coming in clutch fashion on a walk-off single from Rollison that sent home a jubilant Jett Bristow and handed the Cougars a 1-0 win to move to 17-4-1 on the year.

While the result came down to Rollison’s go-ahead ground ball, the battle was defined by the three pitchers that controlled the game and the defenses behind them that continually impressed with play after play to crush potential on-base chances.

For the Cougars, efforts from Mason Quigley and Malcolm Pace helped maintain the shutout, with Quigley getting the start and putting in excellent work in his four-inning appearance that included four strikeouts and just two hits allowed.

When Pace entered the game in the top of the fifth, he closed the game out brilliantly, striking out three batters and not allowing a single Titan to reach a bag.

Pace entered the game with two outs and runners on first and second, but kept the Titans from creating further damage thanks to a line out caught by senior Hank Shield.

In the top of the sixth inning, he delivered two strikeouts, one on a 3-2 count for the first out and later throwing three consecutive strikes for the third out. Pace and the defense continued to deliver when the Titans trotted back onto the field in the top of the seventh, where a Hartley Rahman throw to first baseman Jack Callaghan got the first out and Mitchell caught a shot down left field for the second. Need - ing one more out, Pace again was up to the task, getting another strikeout on a 3-2 count to give his team a chance to win at the very end of the game.

On the Trinity side, senior Carter Schuma was instrumental in keeping Collegiate scoreless until the seventh, tossing six strikeouts and allowing four hits during the entirety of the game.

Two of those hits came from Bristow, who recorded a triple in the fourth inning with a deep shot down right field that the Titans outfielder struggled to locate and later a double in the seventh with a center field slam.

If Bristow’s hitting gave the

Collegiate offense life, it was sophomore Carter Mitchell who gave them hope, hitting a ground ball where he wasn’t able to make it to first, but got Bristow safely to third with Rollison coming up next with just one out.

With all eyes on Rollison and Bristow eagerly awaiting the chance to book it to home, it took just one pitch for Rollison to connect with an in-play hit, which got him to first, Bristow to home and their teammates out of the dugout and back onto the field to celebrate the gamewinning play.

It was the second time this season that the Cougars have had a game decided by one run, with the other also coming at home and resulting in a win against Highland on April 19.

With two games remaining on the regular season schedule and the VISAA State Tournament starting its first round on May 15, the Cougars have a few more chances to gain more momentum before the postseason, where they’re slated as a favorite to win it all among a handful of strong contenders like Benedictine, Cape Henry Collegiate and St. Paul VI.

Robby Fletcher can be reached at rfletcher@powhatantoday.com.