By Robert Chiarito

There was a lighter than normal slate of games, meets and matches on the prep schedule over this past week due to Spring Break for high schools around the area. The sparse schedule did, however, yield several very good games as the week saw the continued surge and emergence of the Old Rochester Bulldogs Baseball Team into one of the area's top contenders.

The Bulldogs nine swept through their three games over the past week as they continued to give opposing teams late inning fits, beginning the week with a third consecutive walk-off win, defeating Bourne High School 5-4 in extra innings on Tuesday, April 22. Ben Church led the way for ORR both on the mound and at the plate as he struck out 10 Bourne batters and plated the winning run by smacking a single through a drawn-in infield in the bottom of the eight inning, scoring Matt Costa. Costa was 4 for 4, scoring three of the Bulldogs five runs in the win. The Bulldogs finished the week with an offensive flurry as they scored in double digits in each of the next two contests.

ORR was an 11-5 winner at Apponequet on Wednesday, April 23. Every Bulldog batter had at least one hit in the game with Evan Bissonette and Kyle Amicucci each collecting two hits to lead the ORR attack. Tom Cole threw a complete game in notching his second win of the season. The Bulldogs final game of the week saw them welcome Martha's Vineyard to the ORR campus on Friday afternoon, April 25. Old Rochester led 11-4 going into the final frame but allowed seven runners to cross the plate in the top of the seventh inning. Chad Snow, who had four hits in five trips to the plate, scored the game winning run on an error to give ORR its seventh win in a row and the fourth win in the team's final at bat in their last five contests. Ben Church, who came on in relief with two outs in the top of the seventh inning, was credited with his second win of the year. With the win ORR is 7-2 over all on the season and 7-1 in SCC play.

In other area action this past week, the ORR Lady Bulldogs Softball Team completed a tough week by taking their frustrations out against Martha's Vineyard Regional winning 13-1 on the island Saturday afternoon, April 26. Emma Keough had four hits in four at bats for ORR resulting in three RBIs to lead the offense. Jessica Nye struck out 10 as she threw a complete game two-hitter for the win. The Lady Bulldogs dropped a pair of games earlier in the week losing to Apponequet and Bourne. ORR is now 3-5 for the year.

Old Colony's Softball Team dropped both of its contests this past week with losses to Holbrook and Bristol Plymouth Voke Tech. The Old Colony Baseball Team along with the ORR Boys and Girls Track Teams and Tennis Teams were all idle during the break.

Mariner Soccer Club

The Mariner Youth Soccer Club is now beginning registration for the Fall 2008 season. Registration will be from April 2008 through June 30, 2008. Children who are born between July 31, 2004 and August 1, 1995 are eligible to play. This recreation league is open to all children who live in Acushnet, Fairhaven, Marion, Mattapoisett and Rochester. Registration is available online at www.marinersoccer.org or registration forms can be downloaded and mailed to P.O. Box 958, Mattapoisett, MA 02739. If you need a registration form, you can email your request to fallsoccer@marinersoccer.org.

Rochester Girls Softball

The Rochester Girls Junior Softball League has started their 2008 season.

The Rochester "UV RAYS" is a Junior Instructional Girls Softball Team under the direction and development of co-coaches David Vercellone and Matthew Underhill who are returning for their second year. The team consists of girls in the Third through Fifth Grades, mainly Rochester Memorial School students.

As with the boys baseball league, the UV Rays would encourage anyone who enjoys sports and the great outdoors to support the girls of the town by attending a game. The concession stand will be manned by parents allowing refreshements to be purchased while supporting our youth of the town.

The UV Rays teams are currently scheduled for: May 2 - Dexter Field; May 7 - Dexter Field; May 9 - Dexter Field; May 12 - Dexter Field; May 15 - Dexter Field; May 19 - Washburn Park, Marion; May 22 - Dexter Field; May 27 - Dexter Field; May 28 - Dexter Field; June 9 - Dexter Field. All games start at 5:30 pm. Please try to attend a game and have some great family fun!

Mattapoisett Recreation

Irish Step Dancing with Maureen Haley will be offered every Monday from 4:30 to 6:00 pm in the Center School Gymnasium in Mattapoisett. Tri-town residents ages 5 and up are welcome! Just show up a few minutes early to register. This program runs until the end of the school year.

Rochester Baseball Golf Benefit

Rochester Youth Baseball (RYB) has opened up registration for its Annual Golf Tournament, which is being held Sunday, June 1 at 1:00 pm at Baypointe Country Club in Onset. A chicken dinner follows golf; a non-golf, dinner-only package is also available.

"This is the baseball league's only major fundraiser of the year, making it critical to have everyone's support," said Hal Rood, who heads up RYB's Fundraising Committee. "We are looking for golfers, as well as sponsors for each hole and contributions of raffle items."

RYB has added a few exciting new features to the tournament, including a $5,000 Hole-in-One contest and a $5,000 Long Putt. Winners of either contest would split the winnings with the league. In addition, the Rochester Youth Baseball team that recruits the most golfers wins a free pizza party at Towne Pizza.

Any golfer registering by May 1 will be eligible to win an iPod Nano.

For more information, golfers are encouraged to email Jackie O'Neil at jsoado@comcast.net or Hal Rood at halrood@comcast.net or call 508-496-6096. Sponsors may email Lynne Foley at foleylm@comcast.net or Kriste Smith at kriste9771@comcast.net.

Please send ideas, comments and suggestions to: Sports, c/o The Wanderer, P.O. Box 102, Mattapoisett, MA 02739, e-mail releases to news@wanderer.com, or fax, 24-hours-a-day, to 508-758-4845.

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