A double by Kaeb Stebbins in the bottom of the eighth inning was the difference between the Delta Eagles and the Bellmont Braves Monday night.
Playing first base against the Braves, Stebbins was the star of the show, going 3-for-4 in a game that was close throughout and marred by costly errors from both teams.
Making the long drive down 67 to take on the Eagles, Bellmont struck first with three runs in the second inning, knocking the Delta starter, Enos, out of the game.
Oliver Werling, who continues to lead the team in batting average, opened the second with a single. His courtesy runner, George Gardner, took second on a bunt and he and Aidan Zimmerman scored on an error in left field later in the inning. Will Baker then drove in another run for a 3-0 lead.
Delta got a run back in the bottom half of the inning, but the score remained 3-1 in favor of the Braves for much of the rest of the time starter Matt Bleeke was on the mound.
Bellmont added a fourth run in the top of the sixth, using the momentum from the previous half inning, where Bleeke stranded the bases loaded with just one out. Werling once again reached base and Gardner took his place on the basepaths, where he was once again moved over by a bunt by Gavin Krull into scoring position.
Another Delta error put runners on the corners and the Braves pulled off a double steal, allowing Gardner to score as Aidan Zimmerman took second.
Bleeke’s night came to an end after 88 pitches when he gave up a leadoff single in the sixth and was replaced by Kaigan Lee. The Eagles pounded out two hits, then aggressively ran the bases on a couple of passed balls to tie the game at four runs apiece, setting up Stebbins for his heroics in the eighth.
For the Braves, it is the fourth straight loss over the last seven days. They will play three more times over the next three days on the road, beginning with New Haven Tuesday.
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