Everything was working Friday afternoon for Beau Baker.
The fastball, the curveball, and his infield behind him.
The Z Team wraps up a victory for the Bellmont Braves in their opener. Beau Baker leads off from first after being hit by a pitch in his first time up to the plate. (Photo by Dane Fuelling)
Baker tossed four innings and struck out nine, allowing just one bunt single to South Adams’ speedy Sty Pyle in the second inning. Pyle bunted after Hunter Fields had reached on a third-strike passed ball and Baker was unable to grasp the ball on the first attempt in front of the mound. Pyle beat the eventual throw. One team’s scorebook ruled it an error, while the other called it a hit.
Sty Pyle reaches base on a bunt in the second inning for South Adams.
The Braves got out of the inning with a ground ball to short.
Sty Pyle leads off from first in the fifth inning. Pyle was doubled off on a great throw and outfield assist from George Gardner. (Photo by Dane Fuelling)
Pyle caused Bellmont more trouble in the fifth inning, when reliever Layne LeMaster walked the second baseman, but an outstanding play by left fielder George Gardner resulted in a double play. Gardner came in and to his right to make a running catch, then fired an absolute rocket to Beau Baker, who had moved to first base after leaving the game as pitcher. Baker’s glove did not have to move to accommodate the throw as Pyle was running, thinking Gardner could not get to the ball hit by Brendon Sprunger.
George Gardner makes a play that may go down as play of the year for the Bellmont Braves.
Bellmont capitalized on a pair of walks issued by Jax Wanner in the second inning, scoring four times thanks to key hits by Gavin Krull and Mason Martinez, who tripled over the outfield.
Jax Wanner starts his windup with Will Baker leading off from second base. Wanner was dangerous with his pickoff moves in the game. (Photo by Dane Fuelling)Gavin Krull and the Bellmont Braves execute a perfect hit-and-run in the second inning to add to their lead. Will Franze scores on a head-first slide as the courtesy runner for catcher Oliver Werling. (Photo by Dane Fuelling)Mason Martinez scores on a triple and a bad throw.
The home team added four more insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth when Gavin Krull doubled off the fence and Martinez added his second hit of the night, leading to the 8-2 victory.
Gavin Krull finishes his celebration at second base after doubling off the fence. (Photo by Dane Fuelling)Gavin Krull doubles off the fence in the sixth inning. Derek McKean puts the ball in play with a bunt. It led to a couple of South Adams runs in the sixth. (Photo by Dane Fuelling)
Dane Fuelling has been passionate about high school sports since childhood. Coming to WZBD via his previous position as sports editor at the Decatur Daily Democrat, Dane is highly involved in high school wrestling with the IHSWCA and is a past winner of the organization's Distinguished Media Award.
