Glenelg coach Steve Tiffany has consistently talked with his team about the value of response. Tiffany referenced Mike Tyson and how his team should react after getting punched in the mouth.
On Friday hosting Mt. Hebron, the Gladiators struggled with that response and lost the game. On Monday afternoon, Glenelg was again on the receiving end of the first punch as Reservoir scored twice in the second inning.
However, the No. 8 Gladiators chipped away and ultimately delivered the knockout blow in a 3-2 victory in eight innings.
“The way they scored, it was almost flashbacks of Mt. Hebron,” Tiffany said. “They stayed humbled and engaged. Not once today did I feel or hear that we were down and out of it. They just battled. Our philosophy is if we get good defense, good pitching and timely hitting, we’ll win a lot of games. The defense has hurt us the last couple games, but today we found a way to win.”
Glenelg (12-3, 11-3 Howard County) took advantage of a Reservoir error to load the bases in the bottom of the eighth with leadoff hitter Danny Dorsey coming to the plate.
Dorsey, one of six seniors honored on senior day, rocketed a hot shot just under the glove of the second basemen and into the outfield for a walk-off single. His teammates swarmed him in between first and second base to celebrate the come-from-behind victory.
“As soon as I came up to the plate with the bases loaded, I knew it was hammer time,” Dorsey said. “I loved it. Everyone was so ecstatic. We got the job done; it was hype.”
A spectacular defensive play in the top of the eighth gave Glenelg the chance to walk-off with the win.
With a runner in scoring position, Reservoir sophomore Nick Cram laced a hit to right field. However, Shortly before the at-bat Gladiators outfield coach Austin Donmoyer told senior Michael Tolle to take a few steps in. The senior read the play the whole way, coming in for a sliding catch to close the inning and keep the game even.
“I was charging the ball and at first I said, ‘I’ve got to scoop this and just chuck in it,'” Tolle said. “But it was just floating up there, waist-height. I’ve always been a slide guy ever since I started playing outfield. I was never a dive guy. I’ve done it so much, I knew I could get it.”
Reservoir (8-7, 7-7) built its early lead on Glenelg mistakes. Blake Smoot scored the game’s opening run after a throwing error, while Cole Folkenberg added onto the lead with an infield single.
Glenelg starting pitcher #2, Zach Lafountain. Glenelg vs. Reservoir baseball at Glenelg High School. Glenelg defeated Reservoir 3-2 in 8 innings. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff photo)
Glenelg starting pitcher #2, Zach Lafountain. Glenelg vs. Reservoir baseball at Glenelg High School. Glenelg defeated Reservoir 3-2 in 8 innings. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff photo)
Reservoir #28, Sebastian Fuentes lays down a sacrifice bunt to advance the runner. Glenelg vs. Reservoir baseball at Glenelg High School. Glenelg defeated Reservoir 3-2 in 8 innings. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff photo)
Reservoir starting pitcher #4, Cameron Whitehead. Glenelg vs. Reservoir baseball at Glenelg High School. Glenelg defeated Reservoir 3-2 in 8 innings. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff photo)
Reservoir starting pitcher #4, Cameron Whitehead. Glenelg vs. Reservoir baseball at Glenelg High School. Glenelg defeated Reservoir 3-2 in 8 innings. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff photo)
Glenelg #9, Denny Dorsey, gets back to 1st safely on an attempted pick-off. Glenelg vs. Reservoir baseball at Glenelg High School. Glenelg defeated Reservoir 3-2 in 8 innings. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff photo)
Reservoir #5, Nick Cram makes a play on a foul ball to right field. Glenelg vs. Reservoir baseball at Glenelg High School. Glenelg defeated Reservoir 3-2 in 8 innings. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff photo)
Glenelg shortstop, #19 Blake Bourne makes a play on a tricky bouncer to his left. Glenelg vs. Reservoir baseball at Glenelg High School. Glenelg defeated Reservoir 3-2 in 8 innings. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff photo)
Reservoir #10, Matt Russell makes a play on a grounder to short. Glenelg vs. Reservoir baseball at Glenelg High School. Glenelg defeated Reservoir 3-2 in 8 innings. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff photo)
Glenelg #4, Nick Bilotto, gets back to 1st safely on an attempted pick-off. Glenelg vs. Reservoir baseball at Glenelg High School. Glenelg defeated Reservoir 3-2 in 8 innings. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff photo)
Glenelg second baseman, #1 Austin Nazelrod makes a play on a grounder betwqeen 1st and 2nd. Glenelg vs. Reservoir baseball at Glenelg High School. Glenelg defeated Reservoir 3-2 in 8 innings. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff photo)
Gleneld shortstop #18, Blake Bourne, makes a play on a line drive to his left. Glenelg vs. Reservoir baseball at Glenelg High School. Glenelg defeated Reservoir 3-2 in 8 innings. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff photo)
Glenelg 1st baseman #22, Ty Whittaker makes a routine catch on an infield fly to end the inning. Glenelg vs. Reservoir baseball at Glenelg High School. Glenelg defeated Reservoir 3-2 in 8 innings. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff photo)
Reservoir 1st baseman #28 Sebastian Fuentes makes a play on a routine infield fly ball. Glenelg vs. Reservoir baseball at Glenelg High School. Glenelg defeated Reservoir 3-2 in 8 innings. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff photo)
Glenelg 3rd baseman #4, Nick Bilotto makes a play on a ground ball to his left. Glenelg vs. Reservoir baseball at Glenelg High School. Glenelg defeated Reservoir 3-2 in 8 innings. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff photo)
Glenelg shortstop #19, Blake Bourne, makes a play on a ground ball to his right. Glenelg vs. Reservoir baseball at Glenelg High School. Glenelg defeated Reservoir 3-2 in 8 innings. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff photo)
Glenelg 3rd baseman #4, Nick Bilotto makes a play on a ground ball. Glenelg vs. Reservoir baseball at Glenelg High School. Glenelg defeated Reservoir 3-2 in 8 innings. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff photo)
Reservoir #9 Blake Smoot sacrifice bunt to advance the runner. Glenelg vs. Reservoir baseball at Glenelg High School. Glenelg defeated Reservoir 3-2 in 8 innings. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff photo)
Reservoir #2, Cole Folkenberg sacrifice bunt to advance the runner. Glenelg vs. Reservoir baseball at Glenelg High School. Glenelg defeated Reservoir 3-2 in 8 innings. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff photo)
Pitching in relief for Glenelg, #21, Mason Melhuish Glenelg vs. Reservoir baseball at Glenelg High School. Glenelg defeated Reservoir 3-2 in 8 innings. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff photo)
Glenelg shortstop, #19 Blake Bourne catches a line drive to end the inning. Glenelg vs. Reservoir baseball at Glenelg High School. Glenelg defeated Reservoir 3-2 in 8 innings. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff photo)
Pitching in relief for Reservour #10, Matt Russell. Glenelg vs. Reservoir baseball at Glenelg High School. Glenelg defeated Reservoir 3-2 in 8 innings. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff photo)
Reservoir #9, Blake Smoot makes it bake to 1st on a pickoff attempt. Glenelg vs. Reservoir baseball at Glenelg High School. Glenelg defeated Reservoir 3-2 in 8 innings. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff photo)
Glenelg #9, Danny Dorsey, hit this RBI single up the middle in the bottom of the 8th inning to win the game. Glenelg vs. Reservoir baseball at Glenelg High School. Glenelg defeated Reservoir 3-2 in 8 innings. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff photo)
Glenelg #9, Danny Dorsey, and #2, Zach Lafountain, celebrate after Dorsey hit an RBI single up the middle in the bottom of the 8th to win the game. Glenelg vs. Reservoir baseball at Glenelg High School. Glenelg defeated Reservoir 3-2 in 8 innings. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff photo)
The Glenelg baseball team surrounds and celebrates Danny Dorsey after his RBI single in the eighth inning gave the Gladiators a win Monday over Reservoir. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff photo)
However, the Gators’ offense was silent from that point. Gladiators starter Zach LaFountain settled down in the middle innings, allowing just three total baserunners in the ensuing 4 1/3 innings before he was taken out. Meanwhile, Glenelg’s offense tacked on runs in the fourth and fifth on Austin Nazelrod and LaFountain’s RBI singles.
The Gators orchestrated their best inning since the second, loading the bases in the top of the seventh with two outs. Glenelg sophomore reliever Mason Melhuish fought out of the jam with a strikeout to preserve the tie game.
“We had a lot of opportunities to score and just didn’t get the job done when we had it,” Reservoir coach Adam Leader said. “We had a lot of guys in scoring position throughout the rest of the game, just never got that hit that we needed.”
Melhuish earned the win, pitching 1 2/3 innings scoreless innings in relief, earning the win. Fittingly, three of the Gladiators’ six seniors, Dorsey, LaFountain and Tolle played an integral part in the senior day win.
“It’s a great feeling,” LaFountain said of earning the win on senior day. “We really fought harder than I feel like we have every game, so we could get a win on this day.”
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