South steamrolls Randolph in game two
July 22nd, 2007 Posted in American Legion baseball
Photo: Rudy Brown 7/22 vs Randolph County; 2007 Legion Playoffs
Photo: Ben Bunting 7/22 vs South Rowan; 2007 Legion playoffs
Randolph County (photos, videos) came out swinging, as expected after a game one loss at home, but South Rowan (videos, StarCards, roster, photos, statistics) settled in quickly, and then raced past Randolph late, beating Randolph 14 - 2. Game two videos highlights and photos to be posted to the South Rowan and Randolph County TeamCards on Monday. Game one video highlights are now linked to the game one summary and the TeamCards.
Randolph’s Ben Bunting led off the game with a base hit to center, advanced to second on a Brent Young walk, and scored on a Ethan Marsh RBI single, giving Randolph the 1 - 0 lead. Hunter Ridge followed with a single, but Young was thrown out at the plate, helping to prevent a big first inning. Rudy Brown then retired Justin Yow to end the inning. Randoph extended their lead to 2 - 0 in the second, when Davis reached on an infield single, and eventually scored on an error.
South came back in the home half of the third with four runs as Matt Ingold reached first on a passed ball following a strikeout, Justin Lane reached on an error, and Ryan Bostian singled to load the bases in front of Daniel Wagner. Bunting appeared to be rattled, and balked in Ingold with South’s first run of the game. Wagner followed with a sharp RBI single, scoring Lane. Jonathon Basinger reached on an error, scoring Bostian. Brett Huffman grounded into a force play, with Wagner advancing to third. Walker Snow was then down 0 - 2 in the count, so Coach Wright sent Huffman from first. Randolph took the bait, throwing down to second, as Wagner stole home before Randolph could tag out Huffman for the last out of the inning.
South added to their 4 - 2 lead in the fifth, and knocked Bunting out of the game. Lane started the inning by beating out an infield single. Bostian bunted Lane to second, and Randolph followed by intentionally walking Wagner. Basinger foiled the strategy, sending a sharp single to left, scoring Lane. Huffman followed with an RBI single to right to score Wagner. Basinger the scored on a passed ball, giving South a 7 - 2 lead.
In the top of the sixth, the explosive Randolph offense looked like they might get back in the game, getting runners on first and second with nobody out. However, Rudy Brown kicked it up a notch, striking out the next three Randolph hitters to preserve the South five run lead (video highlight to be posted tomorrow).
In the bottom of the inning, South scored seven to put Randolph away. Randolph errors and walks set up the inning, with South getting three clutch two-out hits to score five runs: Walker Snow started with a two-out, two-RBI single, Chase Deal hit an RBI single, and Lane finished it off with a two-RBI single, extending South’s lead to 14 - 2.
In the top of the seventh, Rudy Brown struck out Randolph star Evan Marsh with two runners on to wrap up the South game two victory (ten run rule), and stake South to the 2 - 0 best-of-seven playoff series advantage. After the game, we talked to South Manager David Wright (listen to MP3 of Coach Wright interview)
Randoph will host South tomorrow night in game three.
