Doubleheader Sweep Brings Indians Back to .500
Rome has successful first trip to Plattsburgh

by Scott Montesano
Rome Indians Marketing Intern

(Plattsburgh, NY) It took the Rome Indians nearly three full weeks, but they are back at the .500 mark, after sweeping a doubleheader against the Plattsburgh Thunder at Lefty Wilson Field on Friday. The Indians took a pair of one-run decisions to improve their record to 8-8 on the season.

Behind a complete game one-hitter thrown by Joe Brown, and an RBI from Rome native Kevin Ryan, the Indians took game one 1-0.

In the nightcap the Indians could not hold on to a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the ninth, as the Thunder scored a run to force extra innings. However, in the tenth inning, Jeff Justice's two-out, bases loaded single gave Rome a 6-5 lead it would not relinquish.

The victories come off the heels of a demoralizing 12-3 loss in Watertown on Thursday night. In that game the Indians walked 16 Wizards' batters and left 10 men on base. There was no repeat of that Friday afternoon, as Rome cashed in on the few offensive chances their were, and received excellent pitching. Rome has now taken six of the last eight, with many of the games being played away from the Copper City.

In the opener of the doubleheader Rome received the only run it would need in the top of the first. With the bases empty and two-outs, Jeremy O'Neill singled and then stole second base. After a passed ball moved O'Neill to third base, Kevin Ryan hit an infield single to give Rome a 1-0 lead. Ryan's hit was the last one Rome would get in the game off Thunder starter Eddie Pena.

Nevertheless, Joe Brown would make the lead stand. Brown allowed only one-hit -a seeing eye single in the fourth- and was never in a serious jam as he earned his first win of the season.

The nightcap of the doubleheader would see both teams show a flare for the dramatic. Trailing 4-2 in the top of the sixth, the Indians scored two-runs to tie the game. Then in the seventh, Rome grabbed the lead on an RBI single from O'Neill. Rome took that lead into the ninth, where Plattsburgh came back to tie, and nearly win, the game.

Justin Cone -who had relieved starter Dan Sullivan in the sixth- walked the lead off hitter and then allowed a single to put runners at the corners. Cone then yielded to Soren Johnson who proceeded to allow an RBI single to tie the game at 5-5.

After a sacrifice bunt and then an intentional walk loaded the bases, one of the luckiest moments of the season took place for Rome. Catcher Damian Blakeley could not handle a Johnson pitch, as the ball bounced off his mitt and rolled to the backstop. The runner from third base broke for home with Blakeley frantically retrieving the ball. As Blakeley fired the ball to Johnson covering the plate, the runner appeared to slide into home safely. However, the umpire called him out to save the Indians. A groundout to first ended the inning, ultimately leading to Justice's heroics in the tenth inning.

This trip to Plattsburgh marked the Indians first games in the Champlain Valley. Plattsburgh is in its first season in the NYCBL. Playing this season at a glorified youth baseball field, the Thunder plan on moving into a new baseball complex being built by Plattsburgh State.

The Indians return to action on Saturday when they host the Wayne County Raptors at 5pm in a rematch of the 2001 NYCBL finals. Rome will then close out the first half of the season on Sunday when they host the Schenectady Mohawks at 1pm. The 2002 NYCBL all-star game will be held on Monday at 7pm in Little Falls. The game can be seen throughout much of New York State on the Empire Sports Network.

Box Scores

Game 1

Rome	001	000	000	-	1	2	0
Plattsburgh	000	000	000	-	0	1	1

WP: Joe Brown (1-1)
LP: Eddie Pena

Time: 1:55

Game 2

Rome	101	002	100 1	-	6	7	7
Plattsburgh	030	100	001 0	-	5	6	4

WP: Soren Johnson (1-2)
LP: Matt Colachee

2B: Rome - Kyle Barrett

Time: 2:52
Rome (8-8) Plattsburgh (6-11)