{"id":4300,"date":"2025-06-21T14:40:04","date_gmt":"2025-06-21T18:40:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sweatsoxbaseball.com\/blog\/?p=4300"},"modified":"2025-06-22T21:57:39","modified_gmt":"2025-06-23T01:57:39","slug":"mattingly-goes-boom-but-jacks-bring-the-doom","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sweatsoxbaseball.com\/blog\/2025\/06\/21\/mattingly-goes-boom-but-jacks-bring-the-doom\/","title":{"rendered":"Mattingly Goes Boom, But Jacks Bring the Doom"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Trillium, Ontario- <\/strong>The SweatSox let a 4-run lead slip through their fingers on Wednesday night, falling 12-8 to the short-handed but surging Lumberjacks at Trillium Park. With the win, the Lumberjacks claimed the regular season series 2-1, while improving their record to 5-4-1. The SweatSox drop to 6-5 on the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Things started promisingly enough for the visiting Sox. A four-run outburst in the top of the third \u2014 highlighted by a three-run homerun from Mattingly Romanin \u2014 had the squad in full control, but the game unraveled quickly and dramatically in the bottom half.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Lumberjacks answered back with a series of seeing-eye singles before veteran Scott Adams laced a two-run single up the middle to tie the game. Two plays earlier, SweatSox third baseman Craig Cornell took a knee with a hamstring injury and was forced out for the rest of the game \u2014 a turning point that disrupted both the lineup card and the team\u2019s rhythm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe had all the momentum,\u201d said SweatSox manager Cory Bond. \u201cBut when Craig went down, we lost some structure out there. It got away from us fast.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From there, the Lumberjacks seized momentum and never looked back. They outscored the SweatSox 8-4 over the final four innings, with bombs from Jason Kiser and Riley Maude in the sixth serving as the knockout punches. That same inning, JD Marks delivered a defensive gem, throwing out SweatSox speedster Nick Henderson at the plate on a would-be sac fly that would\u2019ve brought the Sox within 1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the 7th, with the Sox threatening one last time, reliever Tyas Montgomery needed just one pitch to induce a game-ending double play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOne pitch. One grounder. One double play. Easiest save I\u2019ll ever have,\u201d Montgomery said. \u201cI should close more often.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bullpen heroics followed a gritty start from Nick Murray, who not only kept the SweatSox hitters off-balance for three solid innings on the mound but also led all batters with three hits of his own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI wasn\u2019t even told I was starting until the game had already started,\u201d Murray laughed after the game. \u201cNo time to overthink it or get nervous\u2014I just grabbed the ball and went to work.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was a particularly special night for honorary Lumberjacks captain Phil Dugas, who recorded his first ever win as manager.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been chasing that W for a while,\u201d Dugas said. \u201cTo finally get it against a team like the SweatSox? Couldn\u2019t ask for a better feeling.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite the loss, the SweatSox offense had its moments \u2014 none bigger than the return of their 2024 Rookie of the Year Mattingly Romanin. After grounding into a double play in his first at-bat, Romanin rebounded with two hits, including a \u201ctowering\u201d home run, 4 RBI, two runs scored, and even drew an intentional walk in the late innings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t intentionally walk someone when you’re up 7,\u201d said acting Lumberjacks GM Corey Valois, shaking his head postgame. \u201cUnless that someone\u2019s name is Mattingly Romanin. Guy\u2019s a menace.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mark Bond chipped in with two hits of his own, including a stand-up double that quickly became a slide-and-scuff when he realized standing up was\u2026 optimistic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThose white shoes will never be the same,\u201d Andrew Hierlihy muttered in the dugout.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Defensively, right fielder Trevor Williams turned heads with two absolute darts to record outfield assists, earning himself Defensive Player of the Game honors. But his magic ran out in the sixth when manager Cory Bond unceremoniously pulled him from the game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTwo outfield assists is awesome,\u201d Bond said. \u201cBut nobody gets three. That\u2019s just science. Easy call on that one.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Williams wasn\u2019t exactly thrilled: \u201cWould\u2019ve been nice to at least tell<\/em> me I was getting yanked before I ran all the way back out there. Bit of a cardio waste.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the mound, Eric White gave the Sox five hard-fought innings against the high-octane Lumberjacks offense, allowing 4 earned runs while striking out 4. Ramage\u2019s lone inning of work was less kind, surrendering two longballs and four earned runs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SweatSox will look to rebound Sunday night at Kinsmen Field in their first-ever matchup against the Sandbaggers. First pitch is scheduled for 6:00pm. Bring the hydration\u2014it’s gonna be a scorcher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

The SweatSox brought out a season high 15 players for our game tonight at Trillium. Wasn\u2019t enough to beat the makeshift Lumberjack lineup.

WP- Valois
LP- White
S- Montgomery

Back at it Sunday for our 1st ever game against the @SandbaggersSO<\/a>.#assnuts<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/6Fc1LuYRc4<\/a><\/p>— SweatSox (@SweatSox) June 19, 2025<\/a><\/blockquote>