Somerset back home with 11-1 win over Cards

By TIM HYDEN, CJ Sports Writer
Commonwealth Journal

Somerset May 06, 2008 11:57 pm

— The Somerset Briar Jumper baseball team has been barnstorming high profile baseball tournaments all season. Head Coach Phillip Grundy has exposed his team to the hardest competition possible in preparing them to defend their 12th Region title. Yesterday the boys came back home.
“We have 12 out of the next 14 or so at home,” said Grundy. “That’ll give us a chance to get back off the road, spend more time here at the Patch, and get some early work in. I think once we get back to a schedule where we can find a rhythm, we’ll hit our stride.’
The first guests to visit Charlie Taylor Field during this home stretch were the 11-13 Wayne County Cardinals of Head Coach Shane Blevins. The Briar Jumpers, however, were rude hosts, pounding Wayne County 11-1 in five innings.
“Any time you beat Wayne County it’s a good thing,” said Grundy. “They have a fine program. It’s the first time we’ve seen them this year, but we met them in the Region last year.
“This was really important because we haven’t seen many of the teams from our region yet. We’re just been looking to get something positive going, and hopefully this will be it.”
Somerset sent Steven Alexander to the mound Tuesday, and he pitched admirably. But both he and his Briar Jumper teammates failed to take control of the game early.
In the top of the first, Cardinal leadoff man Bailey Turpen singled to start the game. But two batters later Jumper shortstop Erik Manning started a 6-4-3 double play that ended the inning. After the Briar Jumpers went in order in the bottom of the first Wayne threatened in the second. With one out opposing pitcher Chris Swift singled, and center fielder Levi Cravens was hit by a pitch. But Alexander struck out the next two hitters to pitch out of the jam. The Somerset hurler recorded three of his four strikeouts in the inning.
It was in the bottom of the second that Somerset started to exert its will. After the first two batters were retired, the Jumpers put two men on. Then freshman Erik Manning drilled a two-run double down the left field line to put Somerset on the board. Before the inning was out the Briar Jumpers parlayed three hits, two walks, an error, a wild pitch, and four stolen bases into four runs.
“Erik Manning came through with a huge two-out hit that got us going,” said Grundy. “I think our two-out hitting has improved and that was evident tonight. Jeremy Toohey also had a big two-out hit for us later in the game.”
After Wayne County got a two-out RBI of their own in the third to cut it to 4-1, Somerset answered right back in the bottom of the inning. Manning again was in the middle of things, taking a pitch in the back with the bases loaded to force in a run. Freshman first baseman Colby Hall followed with a sacrifice fly to push the lead back out to 6-1.
Alexander had it in cruise control for the Jumpers while the offense amassed runs. Toohey’s two out single in the fourth made it 8-1. Then in the fifth, Adam Wallen doubled in a pair, took third on a throwing error, and scored on a wild pitch to push the lead to ten runs, ending it with a score of 11-1.
“I thought that, once again, Steven Alexander pitched well and our defense played well behind him,” said Grundy. “We just had one error and usually if you can do that you make the other team have to beat you instead of handing them runs.
“Our team has struggled some lately with injuries, but we’re upbeat. We know we haven’t played as well as we’re capable of, but we’re coming around. I think, in the end, it’s going to be a special season for Somerset baseball. We coaches have to make sure every one on this team knows how important they are to what we’re trying to do. Two years ago we were Regional Runners-Up, and last year we were Regional Champs. We want to make that kind of success a yearly occurrence around here, and I think this group is capable of doing it.”
Somerset improves to 14-11 on the season. Their next game is at home for Senior Night Thursday against cross town rival Southwestern.


WC. 001 00 — 1 5 3
SHS 042 23 — 11 8 1

Wayne County — Swift 2.1 IP, 4ER, 6R, 4H, 0K, 3BB, 1HBP
Brumley 2 IP, 4ER, 5R, 4H, 1K, 2BB
RBI—Bell

Somerset — Alexander 5IP, 1ER, 1R, 5H, 4K, 0BB, 1HBP
2B—E. Manning, Hughes, Ch. Hall, Wallen
SB—Cole 2, Fitzpatrick 2, Sears, Hughes, Toohey, Co. Hall
RBI—E. Manning 3, Toohey 2, Wallen 2, Cole, Co. Hall.

Copyright © 1999-2008 cnhi, inc.