The slap of leather and the crack of the bat resounded for the first time in years at the newly restored baseball field at Richard Montgomery when the varsity Rockets opened their season against Blake High School on March 21. The field was closed several years ago because of a hazardous playing surface and poor drainage. The restoration effort was led by the RMHS Athletic Booster Club and necessitated the complete removal of the top 12 inches of the entire field and extensive drainage and irrigation work. New dugouts and fencing were also added by the Booster Club.
The finally finished product was ready for its debut on a sunny, but windy and chilly, Monday afternoon. A large crowd attended the opening game, lured not only by the promise of exciting baseball action, but also by free hot dogs, hamburgers, and t-shirts furnished by the Booster Club and chicken wings donated by Buffalo Wild Wings. The fans kept energized with music courtesy of Hot 99.5.
Several mascots joined Richie the Rocket in attendance, and a pregame race between the Buffalo Wild Wings mascot, Dr. J the Julius West jaguar, and the Frederick Keys Keyote ended in a photo-finish.Ceremonial first pitches were thrown by two former Booster Club presidents (Bill Burchett and Andrew Silverberg) in recognition of their leadership in the baseball field restoration project. Finally, junior Nick Hopwood performed an A Cappella rendition of the National Anthem, and it was time for the first pitch. For Seniors Andrew Bejean, Ryan Din, and Andy Kostka, it would be the first real home game of their high school career.
Sophomore Drew Sturgess took the mound for the Rockets and inaugurated the new field with a strike out in a 1, 2, 3 inning. In the Rockets half of the first, Ryan Din had the honor of getting the first hit at the new ball park and also stole second base. Blake High School mounted its first threat of the game in the top of the second inning, putting runners at second and third with no outs. Drew Sturgess rose to the challenge with two consecutive strikeouts and a ground ball to shortstop. First baseman Chris Parrish snagged the high errant throw to end the inning.
The Rockets took the lead in the third inning. Senior Andy Kostka led off with a double to the right-centerfield gap and advanced to third on a wild pitch. He scored the Rockets first run on a Ryan Din sacrifice fly to center field. Drew Sturgess then helped his own cause when he beat a throw to first base on a ground ball and raced home on a double by Sophomore Brooks Perks.
The Rockets had a 2-0 lead and for two innings it looked like that would be enough to secure the victory. Unfortunately, in the sixth and seventh innings most of the slapping of leather and cracking of bats belonged to Blake High School and they ended up winning 8 to 2.
Still, baseball has finally returned to RMHS. First-year varsity coach (and former JV coach) Codey Fear said after the game that the team played six good innings and had plenty of positives to build on. The Rockets will start that building on Wednesday afternoon with a trip to Rockville High School to take on their cross-town rivals.
