Published Tuesday, April 29, 2008 4:33 PM
Updated Tuesday, April 29, 2008 4:34 PM

 

Wave baseball team advances to third round

While some teams earned blowouts last week, Summerville turned in its typically slow-and-steady performance to maintain home-field advantage in the playoffs.

“This definitely gives us the upper hand,” Summerville coach Burt Bazzle said. “Now whoever we face will not only have to beat us twice at our place, they will need three good pitchers, one good enough to win Monday and then two to throw against us Wednesday. Plus, since we will play here our guys should stay relaxed.”

There were some one-sided wins in the playoffs last week, but Summerville (17-7) advanced to tonight’s third round with a 2-1 win over Richland Northeast and a 5-3 win over Sumter. The Green Wave has become accustom to tight games this season. In fact, it had to rally for several of its wins. But in the end, the team usually gets the job done.

“We just have heart,” Wave outfielder/pitcher Tyler Fletcher said after Saturday’s victory over Sumter. “We refuse to get down because we know we can win no matter who we’re playing.”

Sumter gained the momentum in the top of the third inning, going up 2-1 on a two-run homer and then loading the bases, but Summerville got out of the inning before the Gamecocks could do any more damage. The Wave tied the game in the bottom of the fourth when Fletcher drove in pinch runner Bruce Haynes with a single. Pat Dolan followed with a double to plate Branden Millhouse for a 3-2 Summerville lead.

Jacob Webb drove in Jeb Thompson and Wyman Bales in the bottom of the sixth to extend the led to 5-2. Sumter loaded the bases in the top of the final inning, but only managed one run.

Dolan nearly pitched a full game, throwing to all but two batters. He struck out nine batters and surrendered 10 walks while allowing only three hits to pick up the win and improve his record on the mound to 6-1. Aaron Bouronich faced the final two hitters, who both grounded out.

Dolan and Fletcher were both 2-for-4 at the plate with an RBI and Millhouse scored two runs. Both teams left 10 runners stranded.

Against Richland Northeast on Thursday, Summerville turned in another solid defensive effort to pick up its first win of the playoffs.

“Early in the game, Brett Wheeler picked off a runner who was trying to steal second and that really changed the tempo because one thing they do well is run,” Bazzle said. “Branden Millhouse also made some outstanding plays to help keep them from putting runners on base.”

Bouronich went the distance to pick up the win on the mound. In addition to his contribution behind the plate, Wheeler played a role in putting the Wave on the scoreboard.

In the bottom of the first, Dolan reached on a base hit and advanced on a grounder by Wheeler. Webb then drove him in for a 1-0 Wave lead. Fletcher drove in Millhouse with a single in the bottom of the fifth for the game-winning run.

Contact Roger Lee @ 873-9424 ext. 213 or rlee@journalscene.com.