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Rogers steals season opener
April 23, 2005 | By Justin Hastings

As if being a 2-time and defending HMWL Champion wasn't enough, Fred Rogers put on a hitting clinic as the HMWL opened its 2005 season Saturday.

When all was said and done, Rogers ended the day with 5 home runs and 14 RBI. In all of Rogers's 18 games last year, he had 6 home runs and 26 RBI. Needless to say, Fred has started off this year with a bang.

In the opening game, the brothers Hastings matched pitching skills in an extra-inning thriller. Fred Rogers's first home run of the day put the visiting team of himself, TJ, and Justin out to a 1-0 lead. However, in the home half of the fourth, Craig hit a clutch RBI-single to send the game into extras.

Fred Rogers didn't leave much to chance in the extra frames, as he calmly stroked a Craig Hastings offering into right field with the bases jacked, giving his team a commanding 5-1 lead.

From there, Justin Hastings would end the game with two strikeouts, giving him 7 for the game, and the year's first victory.

Game 2 provided another exciting extra-inning affair. The visiting team of TJ, Justin, and Will got one run of a rusty Fred Rogers in their half of the first. Rogers did more dirty work later in the 2nd, when he hit his third homer of the day to knot the game at one.

The power surge continued in the visiting half of the third, where TJ Collins (line drive onto the centerfield deck) and Justin Hastings (fly ball onto the right field portion of the deck) hit back-to-back solo homers to take a 3-1 lead.

The hometowners refused to lay down, however, as Craig Hastings hit a game-tying 2-run triple to force the game into extras. There, another RBI-single by Craig would seal the deal, 4-3.

The day's finale turned into an ugly slugfest, much unlike the pitcher-friendly prior games. Fred, Will, and Tom roughed up on Craig Hastings and TJ Collins, scoring 15 runs on 15 hits, including five home runs.

All in all, the HMWL's 2005 Opening Day was highly successful. Three games are in the books...with Fred Rogers taking the reigns on this year's offensive numbers and Justin Hastings looking good from the hill. It all will continue throughout the summer as we march towards the 2005 HMWL Championship.


Fred Rogers had an absolutely ridiculous game at the plate, hitting five home runs on Opening Day and making an early run at the home run crown.

The games looked to be on hold for a long time, as rain threatened. But the first pitch was finally thrown at about 1:50.

All players, save Tom Horan, made pitching appearances at some point of Opening Day 2005.

This year's Opening Day marks the second straight year that the season has began in April.


Game 1
1
2
3
4
5
R
H
» Fred/TJ/Justin
0
0
1
0
4
5
8
   Craig/Will/Tom
0
0
0
1
0
1
5
W: Justin (1-0) L: Craig (0-1)
HR: Fred (1,2)
Scoring Summary
Top 3rd: Fred hits solo homer
Visiting team leads, 1-0
Bot 4th: Craig hits RBI-single
Game tied, 1-1; goes to extras
Top 5th: Fred hits grand slam
Visiting team leads, 5-1
Stats Batting Pitching
Player
AB
H
BI
R
K
R
H
K
BB
IP
Fred
6
4
5
3
3
-
-
-
-
-
TJ
6
2
0
0
3
-
-
-
-
-
Justin
5
2
0
2
3
1
5
7
0
5
Craig
6
3
1
0
3
5
8
9
1
5
Will
5
2
0
0
1
-
-
-
-
-
Tom
5
0
0
0
3
-
-
-
-
-

Game 3
1
2
3
R
H
   Craig/Justin/TJ
0
1
0
1
6
» Fred/Will/Tom
5
10
-
15
15
W: Will (1-1) L: Craig (0-2)
HR: Tom (1), Fred (4,5), Will (1,2)
Scoring Summary
Bot 1st: Fred hits 2-run triple, Tom hits RBI-single, Fred hits another 2-run triple
Home team leads, 5-0
Top 2nd: Craig hits RBI-double
Visiting team down, 1-5
Bot 2nd: Tom hits 3-run homer, Fred hits solo homer, Fred hits 3-run homer, Will hits solo homer, Will hits 2-run homer
Home team leads, 15-1
Stats Batting Pitching
Player
AB
H
BI
R
K
R
H
K
BB
IP
Craig
4
2
1
0
2
8
8
1
2
1
TJ
4
3
0
1
1
7
7
0
0
.5
Justin
4
1
0
0
1
0
0
1
0
.5
Fred
7
6
8
6
0
-
-
-
-
-
Will
5
5
3
6
0
1
6
4
0
3
Tom
7
4
4
3
2
-
-
-
-
-
Game 2
1
2
3
4
5
R
H
   TJ/Justin/Will
1
0
2
0
0
3
5
» Craig/Fred/Tom
0
1
0
2
1
4
7
W: Fred (1-0) L: Will (0-1)
HR: TJ (1), Justin (1), Fred (3)
Scoring Summary
Top 1st: Justin hits RBI-single
Visiting team leads, 1-0
Bot 2nd: Fred hits solo homer
Game tied, 1-1
Top 3rd: TJ & Justin hit back-to-back solo homers
Visiting team leads, 3-1
Bot 4th: Craig hits 2-run triple
Game tied, 3-3; goes to extras
Bot 5th: Craig hits walk-off RBI-single
Home team wins, 4-3
Stats Batting Pitching
Player
AB
H
BI
R
K
R
H
K
BB
IP
TJ
6
2
1
2
4
-
-
-
-
-
Justin
4
2
2
1
2
-
-
-
-
-
Will
5
1
0
0
4
4
7
6
3
4.5
Craig
6
3
3
1
0
-
-
-
-
-
Fred
5
2
1
1
3
3
5
10
1
5
Tom
5
2
0
2
3
-
-
-
-
-