Trailing 2-1, Brennan Martz led off the bottom of the seventh with a double. But after the promising start, the next two batters were retired on popups. After Owen Null drew a walk, Jared Brustman drove a fastball hard to the left side. The shot was knocked down by the Manchester shortstop to prevent Martz from scoring the tying run. That brought Keane to the plate. Keane had popped out with the bases loaded in the fifth. "It was hot and Jake was playing in his second game behind the dish so I contemplated pulling him in the top half of the seventh because he looked spent," manager Jim Martz said. "But two quick outs allowed him to get back into the dugout quickly and cool down. I also thought about pinch hitting for him but went with my gut. Jake had proven in the past that he was clutch and he delivered once again." Keane's hit landed just inside the left field foul line. Martz scored easily to tie the game. Null's slide jarred the ball loose from the catcher's mitt to end the tournament. "This weekend a group of men became a team," said Jim Martz. The Skipjacks' rally gave pitcher Chris Roosevelt the win he deserved. The righty pitched a complete game and allowed just one earned run. He also drove in Cecil's first run in the fifth. "Chris overcame multiple errors by the defense behind him that drove his pitch count up, yet he kept pushing forward," Jim Martz said. "It was a gutsy, gritty, determined effort by Chris. The coaches and I saw the frustration on his face yet he never turned on his teammates. He is a class act and deserved the victory as did all 14 players." Dustin Krahn and Brennan Martz each had two hits. The Skipjacks advanced to the title game by beating a familiar foe Sunday afternoon. They defeated the younger Skipjacks team 6-0 behind a gem from David Jackson. Jackson hurled a complete game two-hitter with six strikeouts and no walks. Krahn was 2 for 3 with a double, two walks, and two runs scored. Aaron Richardson recorded two hits and scored a run. Keane added a pair of hits. Justin Frey had a hit and scored. Zach Van Dyke drew three walks and scored a run. Cecil secured the number one seed going into Sunday by posting two dramatic victories Saturday. Down 3-1 heading into the top of the seventh, the Skipjacks scored four runs, highlighted by a three-run double by Richardson, and held on for a 5-4 triumph over Putty Hill. Null ignited the rally with a bunt basehit. "I told Owen to bunt as he left the dugout to go to the plate," Jim Martz said. "I saw he had been successfully bunting for base hits during the season at Elkton High and thought it was the perfect opportunity to get things started." After a hit by Ferguson and walk to Brustman. Richardson delivered a bases-clearing double to put the Skipjacks ahead 4-3. Jackson added an RBI single to make it 5-4. Jackson pitched the final two innings to earn the win. Putty Hill scored a run in the bottom of the seventh to trim the deficit down to 5-4. The catcher Keane sealed the win by throwing behind a runner at second base and forcing a rundown. Noah Juergens, Krahn and Null each pitched for the Skipjacks. In the opener Saturday, Cecil upended Manchester, 11-8. The Skipjacks trailed 6-2 and 8-3 before rallying for three runs in the fifth and five more in the sixth. Brennan Martz, Mike Moran, Brustman (win) and Roosevelt (save) pitched. Richarson was 2-4 with 2 RBIs. Null had a hit and three RBIs. Jackson blasted a solo homer. Brennan Martz siingled, walked twice, and scored two runs. Ferguson produced a key two-run single in the sixth. L-R Back Row: Coach Roger Keane, Manager Jim Martz, Chris Roosevelt, Mike Moran, Jake Keane, Dustin Krahn, Tyler Ferguson, Brennan Martz, David Jackson, Owen Null, Coach Tom Jackson L-R Front Row: Zach Van Dyke, Aaron Richardson, Alex Billings, Noah Juergens, Jared Brustman, Justin Frey, Coach Mike Frey (Photo by Jen Lyall) Comments are closed.
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