sept19

A wet, but very happy BSS baseball team won its opening regional game 8 to 6 over the New-Holland Middleton Mustangs. This was only the 2^nd time that the Bruins ball team has won a regional game, the last time also being a win over the Mustangs in 2000.

The Bruins went on top early and often, galloping to an 8-3 lead going into the bottom of the 5^th . The rain started coming as the home team Mustangs put 3 runs on the board. The Mustangs were threatening to add another run when Bruins center fielder Jacob Wear made a long run to his right, diving to the ground and catching a hard hit Mustang line drive to end the inning !! Tom Newell, who did a yeoman’s job all day behind the plate, started the wetter 6^th inning with a double off the Mustang’s hard throwing new pitcher who had just struck out the Bruins in the 5^th inning. David Wasser then drew a walk. The rain kept coming and, after a short rain delay, the game was called by the men in blue, sealing the BSS win.

Hats off to David Wasser, the winning pitcher, who struck out 9 Mustang batters while only giving up four hits and one walk. Hats off to both Newell and second baseman Joey Huddleston who nailed the first Mustang runner attempting to steal on the Bruins. Hats off to shortstop Greg Larson who handed the Mustangs two of their 1st inning outs by snagging two Mustang pop-ups. Larson then, in the 3^rd inning, made a great charging grab & throw to first baseman John VonBehren to again nail the Mustang lead-off batter. Hats off to VonBehren who kept control of a hard hit grounder in the bottom of the 3^rd to make an unassisted key put-out.

The Bruins scored in each of the first four innings. Lead-off batter Newell had a perfect day with a single, a double and two walks, as well as scoring two runs. Second slot batter Wasser drew two walks, scored one run and laid down a great 2^nd inning bunt to advance Newell, who eventually scored. Third slot batter Wear had two singles and a walk, as well as scoring two runs (great catch Jacob !!). Clean-up hitter Larsen had a single and scored one run. Fifth slot batter Huddleston had two singles and a walk and scored one run. Sixth slot batter Casey Sheehan, who did some running in left field, had a key 4^th inning single to drive in the 8^th Bruins run. Seventh slot batter VonBehren had a great 1^st inning RBI single. Eighth slot batter Anton Katalinich, although not reaching base, played a tough right field. Ninth slot batter Trey Dhabalt, who was called on to anchor the 3^rd base corner, drew a 4^th inning lead off walk that led to his scoring a run.

With the win, BSS advances to the second round regional game on Saturday September 21 at noon at Chester East Lincoln Elementary School in Lincoln. The Bruins play the winner of the Mt. Pulaski-Buffalo Tri-City game. Should we win again, we play for the regional championship on Monday September 23 at 4:30 p.m. at the same Lincoln field.

The team and coaches would like to give a big thank you to Joey’s mom Beth Esela for the after game treats!! Also a big thank you to Tim Sheehan, Jim Wear and Rich VonBehren, and the helpful Middleton mystery man with the floor jack, for fixing Kim Larson’s flat tire. Its just BSS teamwork !!

Lastly, an SRD update: Scheduled games (all at Schlitt) are as follows: September 25 at 6 p.m. vs. Little Flower; September 28 at 11 a.m. v. CTK; October 2 at 6 p.m. vs. Bank of Springfield; and October 5 at 10 a.m. vs. Little Flower.