UD EARNS PAYBACK

Defending champs avenge loss to Ho-Ro

PAWTUCKET — The shoe proved to be on the other foot Friday night as Upper Deck Post 14 cruised to a mercy-rule 10-0 win over host Howard-Rogers at Max Read Field.

The same two R.I. Elite Baseball League clubs met as recently as Monday night with Ho-Ro staging a come-from-behind 4-3 win over Post 14. There was no drama in the rematch as Upper Deck jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the second inning and put up a five-spot in the fifth. It’s the second straight lopsided win for coach Matt Allard’s crew, which will take a 4-3 record into next week’s fourgame slate.

“Offensively, we’re starting to get in a groove,” said Allard, a nod to UD’s 14-3 win over Scituate on Wednesday. “(Friday) was our seventh game of the year and it seems everyone is in midseason form.

“It took a couple of weeks after not seeing live pitching, but we’re swinging the bats well. Hopefully that continues next week and for the rest of the year.”

Kyle DeLuca was the key offensive catalyst, going 2-for-3 with an RBI triple that opened the scoring for Upper Deck. The player before him in the lineup, Randall Hien, went 2-for-3 with a walk and two stolen bases and two runs.

“DeLuca has been on fire and Randall, he struggled to start the year just like everyone else, but he’s coming around,” said Allard.

Howard Rogers dipped to 3-4. Their top performer was leadoff batter James Coleman, who went 2-for-2 with two stolen bases. He advanced to third

each time but was ultiemately stranded.

“When he went to Tolman, he did track. Very fast player,” said Howard-Rogers assistant coach Cory Morel. “The first tcouple of games, he was lower in the order until we could see lwhat he could do. Now, he’s got ethe green light when it comes hstealing bases.”

Ben Hale improved to 3-0 on the mound for UD after turning in five scoreless innings. He 4struck out two and walked two tbefore handing things off to mNick Croteau, who struck out the side in the sixth.

“He struggled early on, but he got stronger as the dgame went along,” said Allard about Hale. “Ben’s been kgreat. He’s our ace and our

horse. Every time we give dhim the ball, we feel that lwe’re going to win.”

eTwitter

Photos by Ernest A. Brown Upper Deck righty Ben Hale, above, was the beneficiary of the defending state champions’ second straight offensive explosion, as Randall Hien, below, and the Cumberland/Lincoln kids avenged a loss earlier this week to Howard Rogers with a 10-0 win at Max Read Field Friday night.

Photos by Ernest A. Brown Cumberland graduate CJ Davock, above, and Upper Deck produced its second straight impressive offensive display to get back to .500 this summer with a 10-0 victory over Pawtucket’s Howard Rogers at Max Read Field Friday night.