Wheels: Rock Hill pulls off big win over Faith Baptist with help of freshman, pouring rain

The Rock Hill baseball team beat Faith Baptist (Fla.) 4-2 Thursday night in a rain-shortened game during the Wheels Invitational baseball tournament.

The Bearcats were in front, and batting, when a third bout of heavy precipitation forced the game to be suspended in the sixth inning. After much discussion, it was called about 30 minutes later.

“The rain helped us at the end,” said Rock Hill coach Dell Corley. “We could have been on the other side of this if we’d have got this type of rain earlier. All I can say is the Lord was looking out for us tonight.”

The loss was only Faith Baptist’s third in 32 games this season. The private school from near Tampa, Fla., sports a completely Hispanic roster full of talented players and physical specimens. The Eagles started Thursday’s Wheels action at Rock Hill with a 12-2, five-inning win over Rocky River (N.C.). Raudy Martinez’s three-run homer sparked the Eagles’ offense.

In the nightcap, two very different-looking pitchers gave their teams quality starts.

Faith Baptist’s 6-foot-5, 220-pound lefty Sixto Torres consistently hit 89, 90 miles per hour, and was able to paint the corners when needed. Rock Hill’s freshman pitcher Jackson Timmons, also a southpaw but with much more room in his jersey, threw considerably slower but was effective in only his second appearance of the season. He gave up a second inning two-run homer to Martinez, but allowed just one base runner from the third through fifth frames with the help of a curveball that he consistently kept low in the strike zone.

“I was nervous but had confidence with the defense that was behind me,” said Timmons, who allowed six hits and two runs.

The freshman’s reaction after surrendering the home run gave a clue as to why he’ll likely be staying with the varsity squad the rest of the spring.

“The next pitch was a strike,” said Corley. “Doesn’t phase him. He’s got a bright future for us.”

Rock Hill cut into Faith Baptist’s early 2-0 lead when Caleb Hamilton led off with a single and then scored from second when the Eagles’ catcher chucked a pick-off throw off target.

“All credit to Rock Hill. We just didn’t do enough to win,” said Faith Baptist coach Gene Reynolds. “In the first inning, the run that got them started, catcher threw the ball into right field and that was a selfish, immature play. We talked to him about that, in terms of he called that on his own.”

As a rain cell moved into the area during the sixth inning, Rock Hill took advantage of a Faith Baptist pitching change to snatch the lead. Faith Baptist lifted Torres after Zach Carter reached on an infield single and Hamilton walked. Torres fanned eight, allowed three hits, walked three and was congratulated on his performance by a number of Rock Hill fans during a trip to the concession stand.

Reynolds brought in hard-thrower Julio Blanco, but when his first warmup pitch bounced about five feet in front of the plate, it should have been a bad omen. Will Reid’s sacrifice bunt moved the runners to second and third and consecutive wild pitches by Blanco brought home three runs to put Rock Hill in front 4-2. Then the heavens opened up in two different batches, soaking the field. After much discussion, the game was called, to the delight of the still-drying out Bearcats players, coaches and fans.

Rock Hill 4, Faith Baptist (Fla.) 2

This story was originally published April 2, 2015 at 10:06 PM with the headline "Wheels: Rock Hill pulls off big win over Faith Baptist with help of freshman, pouring rain."