Orange Team Rallies, Takes Game One 6-2

CORAL GABLES, Fla. — Behind five strong innings from sophomore lefthander Chris Diaz, the Orange Team took a 6-2 win over the Green Team in game one of the annual Orange-Green Fall World Series.

After falling behing 2-0, the Orange Team rallied for six unanswered runs to seal the opening victory. The rally began in the bottom of the fourth inning, when junior infielder Alexander Hernandez ripped a seeing-eye single off junior AJ Salcines. After advancing on a groundout from junior Tyler Palmer, the West Palm Beach, Fla. native stole third on the very next pitch. Michael Broad‘s groundout plated Hernandez from third, cutting the deficit to 2-1.

Diaz, who struck out seven batters on the afternoon, returned to the hill for the top of the fifth and made quick work of the Green order. Freshman Brandon Lopez, who impressed in the field with both range and arm, grounded out to short to open the frame. Diaz then caught junior John Lawrowski looking and freshman Ricky Eusebio swinging in a 1-2-3 inning.

Freshman Peter Rivera, who made a few nifty plays of his own in support of Diaz, connected on a two-run homerun to right field in the bottom of the fifth to give his team a 3-2 lead. Orange would tack on three more runs off junior reliever Adam Sargent in the bottom of the sixth, including an RBI double from Broad and an RBI single from freshman Grant Heyman.

Senior outfielder Chantz Mack‘s two-out triple in the top of the sixth would give Green late life, but freshman Frank Grandinette induced a flyout from Brad Fieger to end the threat. Mack finished 3-for-3 on the day, coming just a homerun shy of the cycle.

Grandinette, who threw two scoreless innings in relief, recorded back-to-back strikeouts of Lopez and Lawroski to seal the 6-2 win for the Orange Team.

Wednesday’s game two is set for a 3 p.m. first pitch from Alex Rodriguez Park. All fans are encouraged to attend all Fall World Series games, which feature free admission.