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Hollandale's Home Talent baseball team had a bigger opponent to battle Sunday than visiting Ashton.
After last week's 23-3 shellacking at Utica the Rockies were also battling for a return of respect, not only for themselves but for the Western Section they are representing in the round robin championship series.
It took the Rockies only two hours and 10 minutes to regain the respect and let the rest of the Home Talent Baseball League know they belonged in the championship series. They didn't win but they did everything but.
The Rockies called on Kyle Thompson to take the mound and he breezed through the Ashton line-up, falling victim to a few errors and bad bounces in the 3-1 loss. He spaced five hits, struck out four and walked two. Only one of the three runs he surrendered was earned.
Ashton stole two of the runs on delayed steals and picked up the other one on an rbi fielders choice.
Thompson also had one of the five hits Hollandale had in the game.
"Kyle had a great game," Rockies manager Cory Kelly said. "He had good command all day and he threw minimum pitches."
Thompson served notice he was at the top of his game in the second when Ashton loaded the bases with no outs on singles by Kasey Miller, Kevin Petternell and Josh Adler. Adler's was a sac bunt attempt that stayed next to the third base line and the Rockies were unable to make a play on it
But Thompson came away unscathed as he coaxed a pop up to first by Kevin Dunaski, struck out Nick Maier swinging and got Ashton lead-off hitter Aaron Gowan to ground out to first.
Ashton finally got to Thompson for a run in th third. With one out Garrett Novinski walked and stole second and third. Designated hitter Derek Prochaska then drew a walk and took off for second on a delayed steal. Novinski waited for a throw then stole home.
Ashton tacked on two more in the fourth, both unearned. Petternell reached on an error and Josh Adler's bunt was also misplayed. A wild pitch had moved Petternell to third during's Adler's at bat and when he walked the A's executed the double steal again.
Adler then stole third and came home on Gowan's fielders choice.
Ashton threatened in the fifth when Novinski and Prochaska had one out singles but Miller stroked a grounder to just left of second that Rockies shortstop Scott Garthwaite turned into an inning ending double play.
The Rockies broke the drought in the bottom of the eighth. Michael Schlimgen started it with a one out single and Thompson singled to move him into scoring position. Jared Rear then doubled in Schlimgen to make it 3-1.
A close play at first on a Griffin Rear grounder ended the inning.
The Rockies chased Ashton's starter, Petternell after 7 2/3 but Novinski came in to close the door. He retired the last five Rockies batters of the game, two on strikeouts, allowing only one baserunner when he hit Michael Nolden with two outs in the ninth.
Lucas Benish, who arrived late at the game after baseball tryouts at Rockford College, took the last at bat. He lofted a short fly to right that appeared to be dropping in but Jackson Keeler made a sliding catch to end the game.
Jared Rear was the game's hitting leader with a 2x3 day.
Petternell got the pitching decision with 7 2/3 innings of work which included six strikeouts and five hits.
Novinski got the save, fanning two.
Kelly, who watched his father, Tom, get introduced with the 1969 team, the last from Hollandale to play in the championship series before the game, felt the team redeemed itself after last week.
"I feel we played like we could," Kelly said. "Last week the butt-cheeks were a little tight but not today. I feel we represented ourselves and the Western Section well. Ashton, and for that matter, Utica are very good teams and are nice guys on top of it. It has been fun playing them."
Kelly was also impressed with the turnout and the amount of people helping out.
"I would like to thank all who attended and all who helped out," Kelly said.
The Rockies cannot win the series but can have a say in who does. They travel to DeForest next Sunday to take on the Deacons.
Ashton is the undefeated team and hosts Utica. The series will either be over Sunday, or go two or three more weeks depending on who wins.
The game will be played a DeForest High School.