NORTHSIDE-Stanton and Baldwin both shook off sluggish starts before finally pulling away from their opponents to advance to the quarterfinals of the Gateway Conference Baseball tournament Monday at historic JP Small Park.
Playing on the field built in 1912 that Babe Ruth played on and Jackie Robinson was prohibited from playing on was a special treat for Englewood, Baldwin, Lee and host Stanton.
Englewood didn’t seem intimidated by Stanton at first taking an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first as Onyx Garcia singled up the middle, stole second, reached third on a pop up and scored on Chad Weaver squeeze bunt.
From that point on that was all the Rams would threat and were held scoreless the rest of the game thanks to solid pitching of Jordan Briones and Jack Tenhulzen.
The Blue Devils scored in every inning but the first adding to their lead with a run in the third, two in the fourth, one in the fifth and one in the sixth for the 8-1 win in the nightcap.
Stanton tied it and took the lead for good on a three run bottom of the second on Jack Harris RBI single past first base. Leadoff hitter Trey Calhoun came through with the clutch hit with a 2 RBI double giving the Devils a 3-1 lead.
Alex Koren knocked in two more runs after an error on the right fielder plated two more runs and 6-1 lead in the fourth inning.
Brandon Castro RBI single to left in the fifth and David Rivera RBI single to right center field in the sixth gave the Devils an 8-1 lead in the seventh.
Baldwin 5, Lee 1
In the first game of the day, ahead just 1-0 in the sixth inning, Baldwin put it away scoring two runs each in the final two innings to escape with a 5-1 win over Lee.
Colton McCree led off the sixth inning with a single to left field and stole second before lightning sent both teams to their dugouts and into a lengthy weather delay.
With each lightning strike, twenty minutes was added to the delay not to mention the brief rain shower which dampened the field.
When played resumed McCree was on second and Connor Aspinwall walked putting runners on first and second with no outs.
Chris Cook reached safely on a fielders choice as Aspinwall was tagged out at second putting runners on the corners. Cook stole second and McCree and Cooke both scored on a ball that rolled through the Lee first baseman’s legs off the bat of Dakota Peeler.
Ahead 3-0, the Indians added to their lead in the top of the seventh as well as Kaivon Kohn reached on an fielders choice and scored on Carrington Lockett RBI single over second base. McCree followed reaching on base with an error by the Generals shortstop which scored Lockett giving the Indians a 5-0 lead.
Lee wouldn’t go away quietly though in the bottom of the seventh as Jeff Scarlett singled past third, Q Newman walked and Amari Fedd singled to right to load the bases with one out.
Corey McCormick singled past third scoring Scarlett cutting the lead to 5-1 and keeping the bases still loaded. However Dakota Goodman struck out John Davis to end the game advancing the Indians to the quarterfinals of the Gateway Conference tournament.
Tuesday
at Mandarin
4-Baldwin vs Parker
7-Stanton vs Mandarin
at Sandalwood
4-Paxon vs Fletcher
7-Atlantic Coast vs Sandalwood
