By: Jordan Hirsh
May 5, 2023
HAMILTON TWP, NJ. – The Hun School Raiders (11-5) cooled off the red hot Steinert Spartans on Thursday, winning 5-1, behind dominant pitching and timely hitting.
Coming into the game, the Raiders had won 5 of their last 6 contests, while Steinert had been winners of 11 of their last 12, including a commanding 23-1 victory over Princeton on Wednesday.
It was Charles Batista, the flame-throwing righty on the mound for the Raiders, who was tasked with slowing down the surging Spartans bats.
After getting out of a runners on 2nd and 3rd with 1 out jam in the 1st inning, Batista settled in nicely. He retired 13 of the next 14 batters that he faced, picking up 4 strikeouts and forcing a bunch of weak groundouts.
Batista was lifted with 2 outs in the 5th, after allowing 2 walks and a single to load up the bases. University of Chicago commit, Jackson Bailey, entered the game and gave up an RBI single to Jack Gill before getting Ryan Everett on strikes to end the inning. The line closed on Batista at 4.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K.
The run in the 5th would be the only one the Spartans could muster in this game. Meanwhile, the Raiders were able to take advantage of some good base running and poor defense, and plated 5 runs.
The first 2 came in the 3rd inning after a throwing error allowed Tre Francis, who walked earlier in the inning to come around and score. 2 batters later, Michael Chiaravallo would singe to drive in the 2nd run of the inning.
Hun added 3 more in the 5th on an RBI double by Chiaravallo and a 2 RBI double by Tyler Tucker, giving them a 5-0 lead at the time.
“I think everybody knows what they can and can’t do, and everybody stays within themselves,” said Chiaravallo after the game. “Nobody tries to be a hero and we all just work as a unit.”
Jackson Bailey would finish off the final 2.1 innings for the Raiders, collecting 3 strikeouts and allowing only 1 hit.
Hun will look to make it 7 wins in 8 tries on Saturday, when they head to Blair Academy to take on the 1-7 Bucs. Steinert will look to get back in the win column on Friday, when they face the 5-9 Bordentown Scotties at home.