The Rattlers CLL team dispatched Syracuse 9-3 on Monday night on Cicero’s home field at historic Meltzer Park.
The Rattlers opened up scoring in the first inning when Daniel Capp grounded out, scoring one run.
Cicero pulled away for good with four runs in the third inning. In the third, Nicholas Capece doubled on the first pitch of the at bat, scoring one run and Alex Smith doubled on a 0-1 count, scoring three runs.
Cicero scored four runs in the fifth inning, with singles by Smith and Jacob Calabria and a walk by Connor Pearce.
Kenton Cochran earned the victory on the hill for Cicero. The hurler lasted four innings, allowing two hits and one run while striking out four.
Nicholas Capece and Lucas Thelen entered the game out of the bullpen and helped to close out the game in relief. Capece gave up one hit over 2 innings while Thelen recorded the last three outs to earn the save for Cicero.
Cicero totaled eight hits. Capece, Calabria, and Smith each had multiple hits. Smith, Calabria, and Capece all had two hits to lead Cicero.
Highlight plays on the night included:
- Two nice catches of deep hits by Alex Smith in center field.
- Solid pitching by Cochran, Capece and Thelen.
- Double by Alex Smith with bases loaded to drive in 3 runs.
- Pick off of the base runner at second base from Kenton Cochran (P) to Jacob Sadowski (2B).
MVP on the night was Alex Smith for his inning-ending catches in center field with runners on base plus his deep double that drove in 3 runs.