After a well-earned week off, Hudson’s Legion Prep team was back in action last week taking on Rochester, Salem Gold, and Dover and picking up three crucial wins to advance to 8-2 and lower their magic number to clinch a spot in the tournament to just six with three weeks to play. They did so thanks to a 6-5 extra-inning victory over Rochester on Monday which they immediately followed with a 7-0 thrashing of Salem Gold on Tuesday and an 8-1 rain-shortened victory over Dover on Friday.
On Monday, Hudson got a crack at the first team that managed to beat them this year as they wrapped up their season series against Rochester coming off the June 19 split in Rochester. Hudson jumped out to an early 1-0 lead thanks to a PJ Millette RBI single that scored Cam St. Clair for the first Hudson run of the ballgame. Rochester responded with a run in each of the second and third innings to take a 2-1 lead with their first run coming off of an error by usually sure-handed second baseman Kyler Cox and the second coming on an error by Orion Goulet in right field.
Hudson would respond with a run in the home half of the fourth to tie the game at 2-2 on an Adam Griebel RBI single to left that scored Memphis Beach. The game wouldn’t remain tied for long, however, as Rochester immediately responded with three more runs in the fifth that ultimately spelled the end of the night for starter Jasper Workman who gutted his way through five innings allowing five runs, but just one earned on four hits while striking out four on just 76 pitches.
In the bottom of the fifth, Hudson got one of the three runs back when Jasper Workman singled home a run that was aided by an error by the Rochester left fielder to make it 5-3 in favor of the visitors. Hudson then tied the game in the bottom of the sixth when Jackson Quinn singled home Cole Baker and TJ Dembrowski drove home the tying run on a sacrifice fly to right to make it 5-5. Neither team would score in the seventh despite Rochester having runners on first and second with only one out against Memphis Beach, who came on in relief and eventually picked up the win. After a non-conventional 1-2-3 top of the eighth inning that included a runner reaching on an error and then being caught stealing second base, Hudson had a chance to win the ballgame in their half of the eighth. With runners on first and second with two outs, Hudson manager Chris Olsen opted to push the envelope, and, with a speedy runner in Kyler Cox on second, he sent both runners on a double steal that led the Rochester catcher to sail the throw into left field, allowing Cox to sprint home and score the winning run, giving Hudson the 6-5 win in extras.
On Tuesday, Hudson followed up their extra-inning win with a much calmer 7-0 shutout victory in what was the first of two no-hitters Hudson threw this week and their second of the year. PJ Millette nearly finished off Salem Gold in a no-no of his own, but he reached the 100-pitch mark with two outs in the seventh after striking out 11 and walking five without allowing a run or a hit. Cam St. Clair came in to finish out the ballgame on just four pitches, retiring the only batter he faced on a ground out back to himself.
Offensively, it was a team effort that allowed Hudson to put seven runs on the board thanks to just four hits and seven walks. Hudson was also aided by five Salem errors on the night.
On Friday, Hudson played host to a Dover squad that came into the ballgame limping at 3-8 on the season. With the help of Mother Nature, Hudson quickly disposed of the future Green Wave 8-1 in their second straight no-hitter, this one of the weather-shortened variety.
After Hudson fell behind 1-0 in the top of the second on a walk, a two-base error by Cam St. Clair who was looking to double off the runner on a lineout, and a wild pitch, St. Clair was able to settle down nicely and retire the next nine batters he faced with the walk being the lone blemish on his stat line. St. Clair also went 2-3 with a single and a triple while driving in three runs for his squad. PJ Millette (2), Holden Olsen, Jasper Workman, and Kyle Cox also had RBI on the night.
This week, Hudson will take on Salem Gold again on Tuesday and travel to Portsmouth for a doubleheader on Thursday at Leary Field in Portsmouth. With a win or a Dover loss at any point this week, Hudson will guarantee themselves to have a better record than Dover this season Hudson could also knock out Londonderry and/or Salem Navy from contention of the District’s top spot with some help. Hudson could also move their magic number to earn a playoff bid down to just one if they continue to play like they did last week and get some help.
