MARYSVILLE – First-year Marysville Getchell High School baseball coach Gabriel Rochon is optimistic about his team, despite its 5-0 season-opening loss to Mount Vernon March 16.
He said the Chargers started off with a lot of tempo and energy, but wore down in the later innings.
“That’s understandable with a first game,” he said.
The teams were 0-0 after four innings, with lefty Zach Townsend on the mound for the Chargers.
Second baseman Dave Broome tagged out two Bulldogs in a rundown for an unusual double play to keep the visitors scoreless in the fourth.
MV got on the board in the fifth on a single, walk and bunt to load the bases, followed by a ground out to make it 1-0.
Colton Bayley took over on the mound and was greeted with a double to make it 2-0 then pitched out of the jam with the bases loaded.
In the sixth, MV tacked on another run, thanks to four walks.
After a nifty double play in the seventh, MV rallied for two more on back-to-back doubles and an error.
Rochon said the team lost its spirit after falling behind.
“It’s a good game to work off of,” he said. “We have to play a whole game, seven innings. It’s a good learning point to buckle down.”
Rochon admitted the coaches could have done some things differently too. “We learn to,” he said.
Rochon said MV hit the ball hard and found holes in the defense, while the Chargers hit the ball “right to a guy. The ball didn’t bounce our way.”
The coach said one good thing about the game was some Chargers played in positions they don’t normally because of injuries and ineligible players.
“It’s good to know they can play those spots” if we need them to later in the year, Rochon said.
