Back-to-back shutouts have put the Bellmont Braves into the championship game of the New Haven baseball sectional. The team won its seventh game in a row, bringing their season record to 10-12, by beating Heritage 4-0 to advance to the championship game Monday against Norwell.
Just 24 hours after Beau Baker delivered one of the most dominant postseason pitching performances in recent Bellmont memory, the Braves showed little drop in intensity as Aidan Zimmerman and Layne LeMaster combined to shutout the Patriots on just four hits.
Zimmerman threw the opening three innings and did not walk a batter. He was replaced by LeMaster, who struck out two and saw out the game.
The Braves will have their full complement of arms for Monday’s showdown with Norwell as they try to win their first title since 2016. The Knights have won four titles since that last Bellmont trophy, often at the expense of the Braves in that span.
Bellmont broke the game open with a double on the first pitch of the bottom of the third by George Gardner. LeMaster bunted Gardner over and Will Baker drove in the first run of the game off Heritage starter Cam Rauner with a double.
Mason Martinez singled and stole second to put two runners in scoring position for Beau Baker. He made it 2-0 and Oliver Werling made it 3-0 with RBI singles.
Beau Baker doubled his next time up and scored on a pinch-hit single by Kaigan Lee.
Heritage never found a rhythm at the plate against the Braves, failing to follow any of their baserunners in any inning with another hit. The Patriots had beaten Bellmont at Parkview Field earlier in the year, but their season came to an end with a record of 16-6.
Beau Stoppenhagen had two of the Patriots’ four hits. Lucas Taylor had a double for Heritage.
Cam Rauner was saddled with the loss. He allowed six hits and struck out seven, working into the sixth inning. Eli Rauner got the final two outs.
The championship will, of course, be a rematch between the two NE8 schools. Norwell beat Bellmont and starter Beau Baker 7-5 on May 1st.
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