On Wednesday afternoon, Head Coach Keith Wallin and his freight train AKA as the Bruin boys varsity baseball team took to the diamond for their first playoff game of 2019, and battled a skilled Amity Warriors team into the late innings.
All-League MVP Roman Worthey took the hill for the Bruins and threw 5 innings of shut-out baseball, allowing just two hits while striking out 12.
The Bruin offense scored consistently in every inning except the 3rd and put pressure on the Amity Warriors to score as the innings went by. Conservative fundamental baseball created pressure on Amity and opportunities for the Bruins.
The game remained close in the early innings and into the bottom of the 5th. Senior Big Jon Kleespies stepped into the batter’s box and sent an Amity pitch screaming over the left field wall that put the Bruins up 4-0 after the solo homer.
However, in the top of the 6th, Amity’s Russel Brown fired up the Warrior’s bench when he hit a soaring home run of his own ultimately scoring the Warrior’s only run in the game.
One of the strengths of Coach Wallin’s Bruin team is situational awareness. Situational awareness allows game situations to seem routine, knowing where the ball goes without thinking before the situation arrives. It limits mistakes and errors, and applies pressure on opponents when advantages from mistake don’t occur. The Bruins committed only one error behind Worthey in the game, forcing the Warrior’s to play mistake-free baseball.
In the bottom of the 6th, the wheels came off the Amity gameplan, and the Warriors made critical mental mistakes that the Bruins took full advantage of to put the game out of reach for Amity late.
Amity put a new pitcher on the mound the bottom of the 6th, and Bruin batter Andrew Burger forced the new pitcher to throw strikes, ultimately drawing a walk, putting him on first base. Freshman Brad Conduracki came in as a pinch-runner for Burger. Conduracki would advance to second on an errant pick-off attempt from the Amity catcher. Brig Schofield would then take first base on a third strike passed ball that also got away from the first baseman advancing Schofield to second base.
Junior centerfielder Manny Zamora then stepped up to the plate, squared up to bunt for the squeeze play at home, pulled the bat back and hammered a line drive double up the middle scoring 2 runs. Peyton Armentrout would then put down a sacrifice bunt to advance Zamora to third, but on the throw to first, Amity left home plate uncovered and Zamora took advantage and scored.
We asked Coach Wallin after the game how he felt after winning this postseason contest. “It’s a lot of fun to be a part of…these boys have really worked hard to get to this point. We are just trying to keep working hard and have fun.” Wallin also made a point of acknowledging the fans when he said, “Thank you so much to all of the community members who came out to watch and support.”
The Bruins advance in post-season play and will have their next contest this FRIDAY at 5:00 pm at Bruin Field against a 12-3 Warrenton team. “Warrenton is a good ball club with a ton of winning tradition.., we need to make sure we show up with good energy and work hard.” Coach Wallin said.
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