By Phil Murphy
Content Editor, DigitalSports.com
**Check below the story for highlights from every inning of the game and post-game**
Prior to its Tuesday tournament match-up with Lee, No. 8 Stone Bridge had dominated both of its Saturday games in the Alexandria City Spring Break Tournament offensively.
And in its first game of Tuesday’s double-header, the Bulldogs maintained their hot bats while mixing in defensive prominence en route to a 15-0 win over the Lancers, including a masterful pitching performance by senior Tyler Basso.
“It was great,” Basso said of his second start of the young season. “I came out and hit my spots. Last time, I came out and was struggling. This time I came out and was hitting my spots really well. It was what I was trying to do the whole time.”
Basso not only pitched six innings of the one-hit ballgame, but also faced the minimum 18 batters over the span and struck out nine Lancers, walking none. Lee’s top six batters went 0-for-12 with seven strikeouts.
Basso also recorded four putouts fielding the ball. He accounted for all but two of the first 14 outs, which came on a double play started by Stone Bridge senior shortstop Mike Stancik that instantly eliminated the only Lancer base runner in Basso’s six innings pitched.
“Playing third base as a secondary position helps out,” Basso said. “And it’s great knowing that as long as you pitch strikes, if they hit it, you’re going to be backed up and get your outs. It doesn’t matter. So, you just minimize walks and you’ll be good.”
Still, the Bulldog with the loudest bark was junior first baseman Patrick Thompson. He went 3-for-3 at plate, with two home runs and four RBI, including a sixth-inning blast that eighth-year coach Sam Plank called the longest hit he has seen to left field off host West Potomac.
“The coaches always talk about getting your elbow back ,and I’ve been struggling with that,” said Thompson, who also served as the quarterback of Stone Bridge’s state championship football team. “I just got there early … It was 3-0 and I knew the fastball was coming, and that’s my favorite pitch.
“I was going for the home run no matter what. I figured I’d just rock back and drill it. It was nice.”
The win marks the third in as many games in the tournament for Stone Bridge, a perennial Northern Region power under Plank. The Bulldogs opened the tournament with a 12-5 win over Bishop O’Connell on Saturday — the only school in the field from outside the region – and defeated Edison, 13-2, later that afternoon in five innings.
Basso started Saturday’s nightcap, but was banged around early before being pulled for eventual winning pitcher Johnny Bladel.
“I had to pull Tyler early on Saturday,” Plank said. “I left him in at third base … a little longer than I should have in the first game and had to pull him pretty early in the second game.
“I was great to see him respond like this tonight.”
Note: Stone Bridge defeated West Potomac, 10-1, in the second game of Tuesday’s double-header to remain unbeaten in 2008. Johnny Bladel hit two home runs in the nightcap, giving the Bulldogs five on the young season.
They had four in 2007.
Stone Bridge faces West Potomac again today at 4:30 p.m. in the Alexandria City Tournament championship.
Email: pmurphy@digitalsports.com
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
No. 8 Stone Bridge 1 4 0 3 0 1 6 15 11 0
Lee 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 4
WP: Tyler Basso
LP: Sean Ruggles
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