Stone Bridge Locks Up District Title In 6-4 Win
LANGLEY, VA - The Stone Bridge Bulldogs were over in Langley this evening to take on the Saxons. With a win, the Bulldogs would clinch the Liberty district regular season crown. Head coach Sam Plank brought in Sr RHP Ty Weaver for the big game, while Coach Jeff Ferrell countered with Sr RHP Jody Davis.
Sr C Brian Wheaton struck out. Jr RF Michael Prince grounded out. Jr LF Johnny Bladel walked. Sr SS Mike Stancik was safe on an infield error, Bladel moving to second. Jr 1B Patrick Thompson singled, but Bladel was gunned down at the plate trying to score on the play. Daniel Bergamesca grounded out to Sr 2B Collin Pearson. Jack McLindon popped to Pearson. Geremy Mahn grounded out to Jr 3B Pat Piccolo to end the first.
Fr DH J.J. White grounded out to start the second. Pearson popped out. Piccolo singled. But with Sr CF Matt Irwin at the plate, Piccolo was picked off of first to end the frame. Eddie Gonzales took an 0-1 offering from Weaver deep over the center field wall to stake the Saxons to a 1-0 lead. Michael Klein singled. Joey Zarella popped out to Pearson. Clay Rainie grounded to Piccolo, with Klein moving to second. Graham Dubow struck out to end the inning.
In the third, Irwin led off with a double. Wheaton doubled, plating Irwin to tie the score. Jr courtesy runner Alec Whys moved to third on a wild pitch. Prince struck out. Bladel singled, scoring Whys. Stancik doubled, with Bladel moving to third. Thompson was intentionally walked. White walked, forcing in Bladel. Pearson hit a grounder to the pitcher, who forced Stancik at home. But the throw by the catcher to first attempting the double play was wild. Thompson scored on the error. Piccolo struck out to end the inning. Barrett Hunter led off with a single. Bergamesca singled with Hunter moving to second. McLindon laid down a nice sac bunt, moving the runners 90 feet. Weaver caught Hunter napping at third and picked him off for the second out. But Mahn took a 3-1 pitch over the left field wall for a 2 run bomb, making the score 4-3. Gonzales popped out to Stancik to end the inning.
In the fourth, Irwin led off with a bunt single. Wheaton set down a sac bunt towards third. Irwin tried to make it all the way to third, but Gonzales threw a strike to Davis who covered third as the Saxons picked up an unusual double play. Prince flew out to end the inning. Klein reached first on a Piccolo throwing error. Weaver got Zarella on strikes. Then Wheaton gunned down Klein trying to steal second. Rainie flew out to Irwin to end the fourth.
To start the fifth, Bladel led off with a walk. Coach Ferrell decided to make a pitching change bringing in Jr LHP Joey Zarella. He got Stancik on a pop out. Thompson hit a sinking liner that Dubow made a great catch on for the second out. Bladel moved to second on a wild pitch. Zarella tried to pick off Bladel at second, but his throw was wild with Bladel moving to third on the error. White was intentionally walked. Pearson made the Saxons pay, as he ripped a double to the gap scoring both Bladel and White. Piccolo grounded out to end the inning. The Saxons were able to get one run back in the frame. Dubow flew out to Irwin. Hunter struck out. Bergamesca walked. McLindon singled to right. But Prince let the ball slide through all the way to the wall for an error. Bergamesca scored on the play and McLindon made it to third on the error. Weaver bore down and got Mahn on a called third strike to end the frame.
In the sixth, Irwin led off with a walk. But he was picked off for the first out. Wheaton was safe on an infield throwing error. Wheaton stole second. Prince flew out. Bladel walked for the third time in the game. Stancik popped out to end the inning. Coach Plank brought in the closer, Sr RHP Mike Palmer to get his fourth save. Gonzales took a pitch to right for a single. Pinch runner Pete Sanson stole second. Klein struck out. Zarella grounded to Stancik with Sanson moving to third. Palmer got Rainie on strikes to end the threat.
The Bulldogs went down in order in the seventh, with Thompson, White and Pearson all going down on strikes. Palmer gave up a lead off double to Dubow. Stancik almost made an incredible play off a Chris Sievers line shot. But he couldn't hold the ball with Sievers safe on the infield hit and Dubow had to hold at second. Bergamesca laid down a beautiful sac bunt, moving Dubow to third and Sievers to second. But Palmer bowed his neck and struck out McLindon on three straight pitches. Mahn stepped to the plate as the winning run. He was out in front on the pitch and flew out to Bladel in left to end the game.
Weaver goes 7-0 on the season, as Palmer picks up his fourth save. The Bulldogs are now 17-2 on the year and 12-1 in Liberty district play. Tonight's win gives Stone Bridge their first regular season Liberty district crown and the first seed in the district tournament which begins on Tuesday, May 13. The Bulldogs pitching and defense has been nothing short of amazing this season. In 19 games, Stone Bridge has allowed only 38 runs. Langley four runs scored tonight is the most the Bulldogs have let up since a 4-1 loss to McLean on April 18. Stone Bridge finishes the regular season on the road in Vienna, as they will face the Madison Warhawks on Friday, May 9. First pitch scheduled for 6:30PM.
