Irwin's Blast Kickstarts Stone Bridge's Season
On Saturday, March 15:
GAME 1
Irwin kicks off the season with a bang; Goes deep as the Bulldogs defeat the Knights 12-5
R H E LOB
Stone Bridge 12 12 5 9
Bishop O'Connell 5 6 5 7
WP-Mike Palmer (1-0)
LP- Sean Cabrera
Stone Bridge High School is kicking off their 2008 campaign by participating in the Alexandria City Baseball Championship. Besides the Bulldogs, there are 4 other teams in the event: the Bishop O'Connell Knights, Edison Eagles, R.E. Lee Lancers and the host team, West Potomac Wolverines. Sr RHP Ty Weaver was on the hill for the Bulldogs, while the Knights countered with JR LHP Sean Cabrera.
After Sr 2B Collin Pearson grounded out, JR RF Michael Prince picked up the first hit of the season with a single. JR LF Johnny Bladel then reached on an infield error. Then SR SS Mike Stancik hit a tailor made 4-6-3 double play to end the scoring threat. Weaver dominated the Knights in the bottom of the frame, getting a groundout to Pearson and then striking out the next 2 batters.
Stone Bridge was able to pick up their first run of the season in the second. SR C Brian Wheaton bombed a ball to the wall for a double. Courtesy runner Alec Whys scampered to third on a wild pitch. The Knights catcher tried to throw out Whys at third, but the throw went into left as Whys scored. SR 3B Tyler Basso singled and moved to second on a wild pitch. SR CF Matt flew out. JR 1B Patrick Thompson singled sharply and Basso had to hold at third. JR DH Bryce Williams stuck out and Pearson flew out to end the scoring threat for Stone Bridge. The Knights had a chance to score in the second, but were unable to get a run across. After a strikeout, Weaver walked the next batter. He moved to second on a groundout to Basso. Weaver then tried to pick off the runner at second, but his throw was wide of Pearson allowing the runner to move to third. Weaver bore down and got the next Knight batter on a called third strike.
The Bulldogs were able to plate 4 runners in the third. After a strikeout, Bladel singled. Then on a perfectly executed hit and run, Stancik singled through the hole vacated by the second basemen with Bladel moving to third. Stancik and Bladel attempted a double steal, unfortunately Bladel got cut down at the plate. With Stancik on second, Wheaton coaxed a full count walk. Basso then delivered with a double, scoring Stancik and Whys. Matt Irwin then took a 3-2 high fastball downtown, hitting his first career varsity home run, with Whys scoring ahead of him. Thompson grounded out to end the inning. The Knights were able to come back and score one in the third. After a single to right, Weaver walked the next hitter. O'Connell was able to get their lead off hitter on with an infield single, loading the bases with no out. The next hitter hit one back to Weaver, looking like a possible 1-2-3 double play. But the ball went through Weaver's legs for an error as one run scored. Weaver bounced back nicely, catcher the runner at third napping as he picked him off with a great move. He snuffed out an further damage by getting a strike out and then a comebacker.
Williams led off the fourth with a fly out. Pearson then picked up a single and stole second. Prince reached first on a throwing error, with Pearson able to score. Prince then stole second as well (one of 9 in the game!), and scored on a single by Bladel. Stancik grounded out and Wheaton stuckout to end the inning. Weaver ran into some control problems in the fourth. After walking the first two batters, they moved to second and third on a wild pitch. A groundout to Basso scored one run. Then a single to right scored the second run of the inning, and the hitter moved to second as the ball was misplayed by Prince. Weaver got the second out of the inning by getting a grounder to Basso. Greg Gadel hit a grounder to Basso, but the throw was wild to first, allowing the third run of the inning to score. Two sharp singles by the Knights plated another run. Head Coach Sam Plank then went to the bullpen, bringing in SR RHP submariner Mike Palmer. Palmer was able to strike out clean up hitter Michael Katz to end the inning.
The Bulldogs got one of those runs back in the fifth. Basso reached on an infield error. He then stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch. Irwin took a four pitch walk to put runners on the corners. Irwin was able to steal second and then Thompson walked to load the bases. Williams then hit a sac fly to score Basso, Irwin moving to third when the cut throw was misplayed. Thompson stole second, but the Bulldogs couldn't push across any more runs as Pearson grounded out and Prince lined out sharply. Palmer cruised in the bottom of the frame with two strikeouts and a combacker.
Stone Bridge put the game out of reach in the sixth, scoring 4 runs. After Bladel grounded out, Stancik singled. He then stole second, and third for good measure. Wheaton picked up his second walk of the game putting runners on the corners. Wheaton stole second. Basso walked, loading the bases. Irwin followed with a four pitch walk, plating Stancik. After Thompson struck out for the second out of the inning, the Bulldogs staged a 2 out rally. FR DH J.J. White picked up his first career varsity hit and 2 RBI, as he singled scoring Basso and Wheaton. White moved to second on a wild pitch. The Knight's pitchers continued to struggle with control as Pearson walked, and then Prince, which forced in Irwin. Bladel flew out to end the inning. In the bottom of the inning, the Knights led off with a walk. But the next hitter rolled a perfect 6-4-3 double play, Stancik to Person to Thompson to clear the bases. The next batter walked, but Palmer induced another comebacker to end the inning.
The Bulldogs went down in order the first time in the game, with Stancik flying out, PH Whys striking out and JR PH Pat Piccolo striking out. Palmer got the lead off hitter to fly out Irwin. He walked the next batter, but got a 6-4 force for the second out of the inning. He finished with a flourish as he K'd the final batter.
A good start for the Bulldogs, as they showed patience (8 walks) and showed off their team speed (9 stolen bases). Stone Bridge will continue play in a nightcap against the Edison Eagles.
GAME 2Bulldogs score early and often; Easily handle Edison 13-2 in 5 innings
R H E LOB
Edison 2 4 6 6 (5 innings)
Stone Bridge 13 7 1 4
WP-Johnny Bladel (1-0)
LP- Isaac Barnett
The Stone Bridge Bulldogs looked to move quickly to 2-0 as they played a back to back games in the Alexandria City Baseball Championship, this time taking on the Edison Eagles. SR RHP Tyler Basso took the hill for Stone Bridge, as Edison had JR RHP Isaac Barnett on the bump. Basso started off in fine fashion getting the leadoff hitter out on strikes. After walking the number 2 hitter on four pitches, Basso refocused and got the next two hitters out on strikes. Stone Bridge got off to a quick start, scoring four in the first. Pearson led off with a single. He then stole second. Prince was able to reach first on a dropped third strike/wild pitch, with Pearson moving to third on the wild pitch. Bladel grounded out, plating Pearson as Prince was forced at second. Stancik walked, moving Bladel to second. Wheaton then bombed a double to the gap, scoring Bladel and moving Stancik to third. After Basso struck out, Irwin hit a ball towards short, which ended up as an error, scoring Stancik and courtesy runner Whys. Thompson struck out to end the inning.
Basso cruised in the second. He fielded his position well, as SR DH Ricky Leeman hit a screamer right back at Basso who stuck his glove up for the out. He then induced a fly out to Irwin and struck out the next batter to end the inning. The Bulldogs scored 3 more runs in the bottom of the frame. White led off with a four pitch walk. Pearson then reached on an infield error. White was thrown out trying to steal third. Pearson moved to second on a wild pitch, as Prince reached first on a four pitch walk. Bladel reached on a fielder's choice as Pearson was forced at third. Stancik delivered an RBI single, scoring Prince. With Bladel and Stancik on the corners, this time the double steal worked as Bladel scored and Stancik moved to second. Wheaton then reached on an infield error, with Stancik being able to score from second. Courtesy runner Whys stole second and third, but couldn't score as Basso grounded out to end the inning.
Basso struggled a bit with control in the third as the Eagles were able to score two runs. Basso gave up a lead off 4 pitch walk. The next hitter singled, putting runners on first and second, no out. A wild pitch moved the runners to second and third. Lead off hitter Darren Williams hit a sac fly to Irwin which gave the Eagles their first run. Basso got a combacker again, and made the perfect defensive play as he got the runner at third in a pickle and was able to have Piccolo, playing third, tag him out. Josh Knupp, who reached on the played, moved to second on a passed ball. Josh Page then singled, moving Knupp to third. He scored the Eagles second run on a wild pitch. After a walk, Basso was able to escape further damage by striking out Leeman. For all practical purposes, Stone Bridge put the game away in the third scoring 4 more runs. Irwin tried a lead off bunt single, but was thrown out. Thompson then singled. He then did some great baserunning, as he was able to move all the way to third on White's swinging bunt. The Bulldogs then staged another two out rally, helped by some Eagle miscues. Pearson and Prince both walked, loading the bases. Bladel then hit a double, clearing the bases and moved to third when the right fielder misplayed the ball. Stancik then doubled as well, scoring Bladel. Wheaton ended the inning with a strikeout.
Johnny Bladel came on in relief of Basso to start the fourth, with Alec Whys taking Bladel's spot in left. Bladel had a 1-2-3 inning, getting a ground out to Piccolo and then two called third strikes. The Bulldogs tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the inning. Whys led off with a walk. After Irwin struck out, Thompson moved Whys to second on a sharp single. During the play, Whys scampered to third on an error. Thompson then stole second (the Bulldogs 15th stolen base of the day!). White then hit a sac fly, scoring Whys with Thomspson moving to third. JR PH Russell Moore then reached on a throwing error, as Thompson scored on the play. Prince popped out to end the inning.
With the Bulldogs up by eleven, Coach Plank brought in JR lefty Ryan Cummings to finish out the game. Cummings struck out the first batter he faced. Williams then singled to center. Cummings got Knupp to ground towards Stancik, in what looked like would be a textbook double play. But Stancik made an error. Page singled sharply to center, but no one could score. The Eagles were threatening again with bases loaded, and only one out. Cummings bore down and got the next two hitters on called third strikes as the Bulldogs won 13-2 in five innings on the 10-run rule.
The undefeated Bulldogs continue play in the Alexandria City Baseball Championship on Monday, March 17 as they will face the Lee Lancers. Lee enters the game 0-2. First pitch is scheduled for 11:30AM at West Potomac HS.
