The Price American Legion Raptors hosted Roosevelt for a doubleheader Wednesday evening at USU Eastern. Having lost two games in the final inning last week to Vernal, Price came from behind in both games against Roosevelt for two important wins.
Price didn’t score in game one until the bottom of the fourth when Trevor Pummell hit a solo blast to cut the Roosevelt lead to 5-1. The Raptors gave up two runs in the first and three more in the third. Johnny Tallerico started on the mound for Price and pitched the first 2.5 innings before Pummell came on in relief for the win. Duncan LaCombe had three hits in the game, all singles. Tyson Busch added two more hits, with a double and a single. Gavin Robinette, Alyjah Ellington, Tallerico and Pummell each added a single in the 6-5 win. The Raptors loaded the bases in the bottom of the eighth and won the game as LaCombe drew a walk.
Roosevelt jumped out quickly to a 6-0 lead after the first inning in game two, forcing head coach Willie Ellington to pull Busch after just one inning of work on the mound. Price responded with a run in the bottom half of the inning on a Tallerico single after Robinette doubled in his first at bat. Robinette finished the game 3-3 with three doubles and a walk. After scoring two more runs in the third to cut the Roosevelt lead to 7-3, the Raptors exploded for seven runs in the fourth to win the game 10-7. In the seven-run fourth, Remington Motte led the inning off with a single. Consecutive hits by Robinette, Pummell and Busch right after, followed by a walk by LaCombe and a hit-by-pitch on Tallerico and another walk by Ellington spurred the Raptors to the big come-from-behind win. Motte would single again later on in the inning to register two hits in the same inning. After extra innings in game one, and no lights at USU Eastern’s field, the game was called because of darkness in the fifth inning.
Price will travel to the Rangely, Colo. tournament on Thursday. The Raptors will take on Rifle, Colo. at 2 p.m. to kick off the tourney. They will turn around and play Steamboat Springs, Colo. at 4. Price will then play Rangely on Friday before playing another game on Saturday against a to-be-determined opponent.
The Raptors’ next home games will be Monday against Green River, Wyo. at USU Eastern at 3 and 5 p.m.