Basso Helps Bulldogs Blank Marshall 3-0
The Stone Bridge Bulldogs were hoping to get back in the win column on Tuesday night, as they hosted the Marshall Statesmen in Ashburn. Tyler Basso, who has been outstanding on the hill, took the ball for Sam Plank's Bulldogs, while Head Coach Jim Jullien countered Jr RHP Greg Goldsmith.
Kevin Nutter led off with a groundout to Jr 3B Pat Piccolo. Basso got Andy Schroth on a called third strike and the K'd Bryan Whittington. Sr SS Mike Stancik grounded out. Sr CF Matt Irwin struck out. Jr LF Johnny Bladel walked. With Sr C Brian Wheaton at the plate, Bladel stole second. He then moved to third on a wild pitch. Wheaton eventually walked. With Jr RF Michael Prince at the plate, courtesy runner Alec Whys stole second. Prince grounded out to end the inning.
Basso got Goldsmith on a called third strike. Tom Pacheco grounded to Sr 2B Collin Pearson. Basso then picked up his 4th K on Austin McNabb. Jr 1B Patrick Thompson struck out. Pearson struck out. Basso broke through and singled. But courtesy runner Ryan Cummings was caught stealing to end the second.
Trey Thomas struck out. Daniel Blakely singled to left. Aaron Gooding tried to bunt Blakely over, but popped up. Wheaton made a nice catch for the out. Nutter singled to center. But Schroth grounded to Thompson to end the frame. Stone Bridge got on the board in the third. Fr DH J.J. White grounded out. Stancik walked. Irwin singled, with Stancik lulling the outfielders to sleep, he moved all the way to third on the flare to left. When they tried to throw Stancik out at third, Irwin alertly took second on the throw. With Bladel at the plate, Stancik scored on a wild pitch. Bladel was called out on strikes on a great pitch by Goldsmith and Wheaton flew out to end the inning.
Basso continued to dominate in the fourth. He got both Whittington and Goldsmith to ground out to Piccolo and got Pacheco on strikes. Stone Bridge rallied for two more runs. Prince singled. He then stole second. Thompson struck out. Pearson singled, scoring Prince and moved to second on the throw home. Basso singled, with Pearson moving to third. White picked up an infield single. Pearson initially held at third, but the second baseman made an ill advised wild throw to first. Pearson then scored and Basso moved to third. With Stancik at the plate, courtesy runner Ricky Davidson took off on a hit and run. Stancik popped to first and Davidson was doubled off of first ending the threat.
McNabb led off the fifth with a hit by pitch. Thomas singled to left, McNabb holding at second. Blakely placed a nice sac bunt to Basso, moving the runners 90 feet. Basso bore down getting Gooding on a called third strike. Nutter hit a liner to right. Prince slipped but still made the catch to end the inning. Stone Bridge went down in order, Irwin, Bladel and Wheaton all grounding out.
Another 1-2-3 inning for Basso in the sixth, as he got a comebacker. Then a flyout to Prince. And finally a groundout to Pearson. Stone Bridge also went down in order. Prince grounded out. Thompson struck out. Pearson flew out.
Basso was looking to pick up the complete game shutout. Pacheco reached on a controversial play. He grounded to Stancik, whose throw was towards home plate. The throw pulled Thompson off the bag. He made a swipe tag on Pacheco, but the umpires ruled the tag was not made, as Pacheco reached on what was scored a throwing error. McNabb struck out. Thomas flew out to Prince. Blakely laced a double right on the chalk in left, as Pacheco held at third. Basso ended with a flourish, striking out Gooding for his 9th strikeout of the game.
Basso picks up his third win of the season and now has 28 strikeouts in 22 innings of work. He has only walked 3 on the season. The Bulldogs pitching staff now has 4 shutouts in 10 games and is making quite a name for themselves. Stone Bridge played solid D and took advantage of defensive miscues again. The Bulldogs continue Liberty district play on Friday, April 11. They are on the road facing a much improved Woodson Cavalier team. First pitch scheduled for 6:30PM.
