Basso Wins 5th, Stone Bridge Rolls On To 14-2
ASHBURN, VA - The Stone Bridge Bulldogs were back in the friendly confines Thursday, a beautiful evening in Ashburn. They were facing the South Lakes Seahawks looking to string a couple of wins together. Head Coach Sam Plank had Sr RHP Tyler Basso on the bump, while Coach Galvin Morris countered with Sr RHP Ian Hostetler.
Basso dominated in the first. Noah Sweet flew out to Jr RF Michael Prince. Scott Reed struck out. Jon Baamonde lined out to Sr SS Mike Stancik. Stone Bridge wasted no time, plating two runs in the bottom of the first. Sr C Brian Wheaton led off with a single. Basso singled, moving courtesy runner Spencer Rositano over to second. Jr LF Johnny Bladel singled, Rositano scored and Basso moved to third. Stancik hit a sac fly, plating Basso and Bladel moved to third on the throw home. Jr 1B Patrick Thompson reached on a infield error. Bladel held at third. Prince hit into a 6-4-3 double play to end the frame.
The Seahawks went down in order in the second. Andrew Thomas-Calvo flew out to Prince. Will Sweet grounded out to Thompson. Paul Kirchner grounded out to Stancik. Sr 2B Collin Pearson grounded out. Jr DH Bryce Williams singled. Sr CF Matt Irwin almost beat out a sac bunt, Williams moving to second. Wheaton grounded out. Basso struck out to end the second.
Wilfredo Corps-Ortez picked up the first Seahawk hit with a single to right. Kevin Ball struck out. Wes Casson hit a comebacker to Basso. His throw to Stancik got the force, with Casson safe on a fielders choice. Noah Sweet walked. Reed took an 0-1 pitch down the left field line for a 3 run home run and the lead for South Lakes. Baamonde struck out to end the frame. The Bulldogs were able to tie it up in the bottom of the frame. Basso doubled. Bladel singled with courtesy runner Alec Whys moving to third. Stancik grounded out, Whys had to hold but Bladel moved to second. Thompson grounded out, but Whys scored on the play. Prince was hit by a pitch. Pearson grounded out to end the inning.
In the fourth, Thomas-Calvo singled. Will Sweet laid down a sac bunt, with Thomas-Calvo moving to second. Kirchner struck out and Corps-Ortez grounded to Stancik to end the frame. Williams struck out. Irwin reached second on a two base fielding error. Wheaton grounded out, Irwin moving to third. Basso struck out.
Basso cruised in the fifth. Ball and Casson struck out. Noah Sweet hit a combacker with Basso making a nice snag. There were fireworks in more ways than one in the bottom of the fifth. Bladel hit a bomb to center. Sweet made an incredible dive for the ball at the wall. But the umpires ruled no catch and Bladel ended up on second. Coach Morris came out to argue the call and was ulitmately ejected from the game. Stancik laid down a perfect drag bunt for an infield single, Bladel moving to third. Stancik stole second. Thompson singled, plating Bladel and Stancik. Prince doubled and Thompson held at third. The Seahawks made a pitching change, bringing in Will Sweet. Pearson singled, scoring Thompson. Prince moved to third and Pearson took second on the throw home. Freshman pinch hitter Tyler Rositano (pulled up tonight from JV) got his first varsity at bat. He picked up a single, plating both Prince and Pearson. Fr Pinch hitter J.J. White hit a sac fly, bringing home Rositano. Wheaton grounded out. Basso singled. Bladel reached on an infield error. Stancik grounded out to end the inning.
Wanting to keep arms fresh for later in the season, Coach Plank went to the pen bringing in Sr RHP Mike Palmer. Reed grounded to Pearson. Baamonde lined out to Thompson. Thomas-Calvo walked. Will Sweet singled, Thomas-Calvo moved to third. Sweet stole second. Kirchner struck out to end the frame. Jr PH Russell Moore flew out. Prince singled. He took second on a throwing error. Pearson grounded out. Rositano was hit by pitch. Irwin singled, with Prince scoring and Rositano held at second. Wheaton grounded into a fielders' choice, forcing Irwin at second.
Corps-Ortez walked. Ball struck out. Casson struck out. Noah Sweet grounded to Thompson to end the game.
Tyler Basso picks up his fifth win of the season. The Bulldogs move to 14-2 on the year and are now 9-1 in Liberty district play. They continue to hold on to first place. Stone Bridge hits the road on Tuesday, April 29 as they will play the Marshall Statesmen. First pitch is set for 6:30PM.
