Basso, Bladel Lead Bulldogs Over TJ, 6-2
ASHBURN, VA - After playing six games on the road to start the season, the Stone Bridge Bulldogs finally were back in the friendly confines hosting the Thomas Jefferson Colonials in a Liberty district matchup. Sr RHP Tyler Basso was on the hill for his third start of the season and the Colonials had Jr RHP Mason Freedman on the bump.
Basso was impressive in the first, putting the Colonials down in order on two grounders to Jr 3B Pat Piccolo and a strikeout. Jr 2B Collin Pearson grounded out and Jr RF Michael Prince hit a comebacker. Jr LF Johnny Bladel singled and with Sr SS Mike Stancik at the plate, Bladel stole second. Stancik walked. Sr C Brian Wheaton scorched a ball to the gap, but Jr CF Jon Wildes made a great play to rob Wheaton of at least a double for the final out of the frame.
In the second, JB Vande Sand led off with a double to right. Allan Allworth lined out to Pearson. Basso struck out Beau Pritchett and K'd Freedman to end the threat. The Bulldgos cracked the scoreboard in the bottom of the inning. After Jr 1B Patrick Thompson grounded out, Basso singled. Sr CF Matt Irwin hit a grounder to third, but the throw to second for the force was wild, with courtesy runner Ryan Cummings scampering to third on the play. Irwin stole second. With Jr DH Alec Whys at the plate, an infield throwing error allowed both Cummings and Irwin to score with Whys ending up on second. Pearson flew out and Prince popped out to end the inning.
Ryan Stumvoll hit a grounder to Thompson, with Basso covering first perfectly for the out. Wildes hit a towering popup and Basso made a nice play for the out. Tom Rudelius hit a seeing eye single up the middle. Alex Radcliffe hit a comebacker for the final out of the frame. Bladel grouded out to start the inning. Stancik picked up his second walk of the game. Wheaton popped out. Stancik then stole second. But he was stranded there as Thompson flew out.
Jeff Siebach led off the fourth with a groundout to Stancik. Vande sand grounded to Basso. Allworth grounded to Stancik for a 1-2-3 inning. Basso grounded out. Irwin singled. He then stole second. Whys hit a grounder to the left side, but Irwin was caught in no man's land eventually getting tagged out, with Whys safe on the fielder's choice. Pearson doubled to the gap, scoring Whys all the way from first. Prince was safe on a thorwing error, getting all the way to third and Pearson scored on the play. Bladel tripled, scoring Prince. Stancik grounded out to end the inning.
Basso continued to dominate on the mound with another 1-2-3 inning. He got a strikeout, a groundout to Pearson and a grounder to Stancik. Stone Bridge went down in order as well. Wheaton hit a comebacker, Thompson grounded out and Basso struck out.
Basso cruised in the sixth. He got a line out to Pearson, a grounder to Thompson and another K. Jr Bryce Williams pinch hit for Irwin and drew a walk. Irwin re-entered to run. Fr J.J. White pinch hit for Whys. White grounded out, but Irwin was running on the play and was able to make it all the way to third. Pearson smoked a ball to right for a sac fly RBI, plating Irwin. Prince then walked. Prince was forced at second on a Bladel grounder.
Head Coach Sam Plank decided to bring in Sr RHP Michael Palmer to finish things up and get some work in. Siebach led off with a walk. He moved to second on a wild pitch. Vande sand singled to left, but Siebach had to hold at third, with Vande sand trailing into second on the throw in. Allworth lined out to Stancik for the first out and then Palmer struck out Pritchett. Freedman, who pitched the entire game, then doubled home both Siebach and Vande sand to break up the shutout. Ryan Stumvoll then walked and things were getting a bit interesting. But Palmer bore down and struck out Wildes to end the game.
The Bulldogs are now 7-0 and tied for first in the Liberty. Strong pitching and defense, along with taking advantage of opponent miscues has been a recipe for success for Stone Bridge. They continue district play on Friday, April 4 as they travel to Reston to take on the South Lakes Seahawks. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30PM.
