CLOVER PARK — Crossroads’ Max Robinson is a one-man gang.
Well, at least he was Friday during a 16-1 Delphic League win over Kilpatrick.
The sophomore starting pitcher (7-0) not only shut out the Mustangs for four innings, but he helped his own cause by going 3-for-3 and driving in five runs.
“I had been struggling [at the plate] this season,” Robinson said. “I’m starting to come around.”
His first at bat of the game couldn’t have been a better time for him to shake off any rust and get the game going in the right direction. With a pair of men on in the first and no outs, Robinson hit a double down the right field line plating two for an early 2-0 lead.
For Kilpatrick, the day didn’t get any easier.
Crossroads tacked on another run in the first and didn’t look back from there.
The Roadrunners scored five more in the second inning against Kilpatrick starter Damien Wood. The inning was highlighted by junior Josh Flyer’s home run, which made it 7-0.
“[Flyer] is an example of somebody who is putting in work,” Co-Head Coach Matt Amido said.
The offensive explosion impressed Kilpatrick’s Head Coach Kevin Dellamico, who was particularly taken by Robinson and fellow sophomore shortstop Andres Leyva, who walked three times, reached on an error and scored four runs. For good measure, he also swiped a base. Not bad for a player who had missed the three previous games with a sprained ankle.
“It felt good running the bases for the first time in a while,” Leyva said. “It was rough sitting.”
Friday’s game was the third against Kilpatrick this week. Crossroads defeated the Mustangs 12-2 on Tuesday.
The two teams played on Wednesday, but the game was technically a junior varsity contest.
The Roadrunners may be coming off a successful week in league play, but the true test of the season will come next week during a pair of games against league rival Windward, a team that is 13-7 overall and 3-0 in league. Crossroads is currently in second place in the Delphic with an overall record of 11-3 and a 3-1 league mark.
“They do everything well,” Amido said regarding Windward.
Robinson, who is scheduled to pitch the second game on Friday, May 8 at 7 p.m., is cautiously excited about taking on Windward.
“These next two games are big,” Robinson said. “I’ve played with a couple of the guys in the past so I know it should be a tough game [on Friday].”
He said that his team’s scouting report ranks Windward at the top of the heap in terms of opponents.
“They hit the ball really hard,” Robinson said.
daniela@www.smdp.com
