Suffolk News-Herald

There was good news and bad news for Suffolk in Bennett’s Creek 11-12 All-Star District 6 baseball competition Friday at Cavalier Manor. First, the bad news: the Bennett’s Creek National team (BCN) fell, 2-1, their first loss of the tournament. Now, the good news: their opponents were the Bennett’s Creek American (BCA) team, which moved on to the championship game, to be played at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Cavalier Manor.

BCA escaped a pitching duel in which the teams combined for only nine hits, with a sixth-inning homer by Ty Alexander making the difference. BCN hurler Zach Lamb recorded four strikeouts, BCA pitcher Chase Marchetti three (two of which came in the final inning).

Daniel Wilcher reached on an error to lead off for BCA in the first inning. A sacrifice by Patrick Morrison moved Wilcher to second, and he scored on an error. However, neither team would get a runner past second until the sixth inning, when Alexander cranked his first homer of the tournament over the right field fence to give his team a 2-0 advantage.

&uot;I didn’t hit it that hard,&uot; Alexander said of his blast. &uot;It got blown over the fence by the wind. I think I’ll hit some more.&uot;

Marchetti struck out the first two batters in the bottom of the sixth, but Johnny Pitt smashed a round-tripper of his own over the left-centerfield fence to cut the lead in half, and Lamb ripped a single into left field. But Marchetti snared a hard Daniel Archibald grounder and threw him out to move to the title game.

&uot;(Ty’s home run) saved me, because it made me feel like I didn’t REALLY need to get them out fast,&uot; Marchetti said. &uot;(Johnny’s homer) was a nice hit; I pitched that ball to the wrong location. But I wasn’t nervous, because I knew I had my defense behind me.&uot;

BCN will get one more chance; they play Monday at 6 p.m. against an undetermined opponent. Should the Suffolk team win, they’ll face BCA in the title game.

Over on the 9-10 field, Ben Joslin showed his pitching skills, striking out 11 and allowing only two hits in the young BCA team’s victory over Charles Peete. Joslin had a bit more offensive help than his older counterparts; BCA scored in every inning in a 10-1 victory to move to the league title game, also held Tuesday at 6 p.m.

Anthony Waldner and Josh Barringer walked to open the game for BCA (Joslin struck out the side in the first), and Joe Gregory was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Four balls sent Blake Eure to first and Waldner home, and Tucker Noia drew a walk of his own to force in Barringer.

Joslin reached on an error to open the second, and Waldner bunted for a single. The runners stole their way to scoring position, and Barringer laid down a bunt to score Joslin. Waldner stole home, and BCA had a 4-0 lead.

BCA’s bats came to life in the third. Gregory led off with a single, and Eure walked. James Lamb whacked a single to deep left to bring both runners in, and was singled in himself by Joslin.

Peete pushed across a run in the fourth, but Lamb singled home Will Hunter to neutralize it. Hunter and Barringer scored in the fifth, and Joslin and the BCA defense kept the Peete bats silent in the sixth for the win.

&uot;I was nervous because I thought they were the best team,&uot; Joslin said. &uot;I felt a little better when we scored 10 runs, but I was afraid that they’d come back and take the lead.&uot;

The young BCN team, who fell to Peete earlier in the tournament, will play Churchland at 6 p.m. today.

The Bennett’s Creek senior team also moved to its respective title game Friday, squashing host Wilson 11-4. The team will play for the title at 5:30 p.m. Monday against an undetermined opponent.