The Bruin boys varsity baseball team started Friday afternoon knowing they needed two wins to secure their place in post-season play, hosted the 6-7 St. Mary’s Crusaders, coming off a home loss to the Bruins Tuesday afternoon to start the three game series.
Bruin head coach Keith Wallin, sent junior right-hander Kyle Burger to the mound to open the set for the early game, and Burger and the Bruin defense set the tone early. After allowing the St. Mary’s lead-off on, the Bruin defense then threw out the baserunner stealing second before Burger struck out the second batter he faced to end an early Crusader threat. But the Bruin bats were quiet in their half of the first, going down in order with two striking out.
In the second, Burger was too much for the Crusaders on the mound, retiring the side in order striking-out two. With the meat of the line-up at the plate to start the second for the Bruins offensively, the Bruins put together two singles and a sacrifice to start the Bruin scoring, the Bruins then put together a walk and two singles to get 4 runners across the plate.
Now leading 4-0, Burger retired the Crusaders in order again, on two routine grounders and a pop-up. The Bruin offense would then establish a big lead and put the game out of reach, scoring in every inning while allowing only 2 St. Mary’s runners to score, and take a comfortable 9-2 win in the opening game of the afternoon. Starting pitcher, Kyle Burger, #5, went 5 and 1/3 innings, allowing only 2 runs on 8 hits, while striking out 4.
Coach Wallin then sent senior right-hander, Jason DeShon, #16 to the mound to secure the second game of the afternoon, as well as the final game of the regular season schedule. DeShon retired the first four batters he faced, setting the table for the Bruin offense after holding St. Mary’s scoreless in the first. The Bruin offense then went to work, getting runners on, getting runners over, and getting runners home, taking advantage of a walk, a hit batter, and three singles to score 3 runs.
But that would be all St. Mary’s would allow, as DeShon shut down Crusader batters through out the game, not allowing a St. Mary’s score until the final inning. DeShon sat Crusader batters down in order in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th innings before St. Mary’s could rally in the top of the 7th, stringing together three singles and a walk to make the final score 3-2 Bruins. DeShon went six innings, allowing no hits and no runs while striking out 11.
Sweeping the series with the #9 ranked Crusaders to end regular season play, insured a first round play-off home game for the Bruins, who now wait for their match-up to start post-season play next Wednesday afternoon.
