What a difference a couple of weeks can make.
Following a 5-4 loss to the Barnstable High Red Raiders (9-6) two weeks ago at McKeon Park, Pope John Paul II (16-1) avenged itself with a decisive 3-0 win on the road. Barnstable will face the upstart Dennis-Yarmouth Dolphins on Monday at home in hopes of turning things around.
But getting things going at the plate proved a near impossibility for the host Red & White nine this afternoon (Saturday, May 18) as PJP II's Ben Gibson tossed a complete-game one-hitter and then belted a two-run homer to deep left-centerfield in the top of the 7th inning to place a dagger in the Red Raiders' heart.
Barnstable's Riley Ashe took the loss and left the game in the fifth down 1-0. He allowed four hits and walked one. Senior reliever Dan Holzman struck out two and allowed three hits and tossed a perfect sixth frame.
But the loss for Barnstable was more its lack of hitting than anything else, as the sole Red Raider to garner a safety was sophomore DH Cody Pasic. Gibson walked five Barnstable batters and hit one, but the Red & White simply could not capitalize and stranded eight baserunners on the day.
Pope John Paul II played flawless defense - with the exception of a throwing error by Gibson - while Barnstable's defensive effort was a mixed bag with freshman Griffin Burke saving a run with a diving grab in the seventh. Unfortunately, the first offering by Holzman to the ensuing batter - Gibson - was launched over the left field wall.
Gibson had one strikeout to match his one-hit performance on the mound.