Published Thursday, May 08, 2008 1:36 PM
Updated Thursday, May 08, 2008 1:37 PM

 

Stratford eliminates Summerville

Second baseman Branden Millhouse led off for Summerville Wednesday night in the bottom of the first with a triple. Fortunately for Stratford, it was not a sign of things to come.

The Green Wave (20-9) only managed two other hits for extra bases on the evening and fell to the Knights (23-5) in a Lowerstate semi-final game. With the 7-2 victory, Stratford advances to face Conway Friday on the road. The Knights will need to win both games in a double-header to advance to the Class AAAA state championship series.

“Hopefully we can go into Conway and not look bad,” Stratford coach John Chalus said. “They are a very good team so we need make sure we stay focused. If we stay focused and put the ball in play and don’t make errors, we won’t get embarrassed, but if we go up there with an immature attitude it could get ugly.”

Millhouse came home in the bottom of the first on a Tyler Fletcher single for a 1-0 Wave lead. It would be Summerville’s only led of the game.

Stratford tied the game in the third when Aaron Preston drove in Kyle Legette with a single. The Knights took the lead in the fourth. Patric Limehouse plated Legette, who reached on a double, for a 2-1 score. Then Preston reached on an error to drive in Limehouse.

Legette was 3-for-3 at bat with three runs scored. Limehouse finished 3-for-5 with three RBIs, a walk and a run scored.

“Legette is a battler, especially at game time,” Chalus said. “He had a great read at first on an overthrow and rounded just like it was a hit. He put us in good situations tonight and played good defense.”

Stratford added a run in the sixth on a ground-rule double by Preston. In the top of the seventh, they scored two more on two walks and a two-RBI hit by Limehouse.

Summerville scored its other run in the bottom of the sixth when Brett Wheeler doubled and then scored on a double by Aaron Bouronich.

“We didn’t play our best ball game, obviously,” Summerville coach Burt Bazzle said. “We made some critical errors and some untimely base running mistakes. However, I’m proud of these kids. They came from 2-5 earlier in the season to 20-9. They came around and made it to the final three for the Lowerstate. We had great senior leadership this year and I’m proud to be a part of this team.”

Limehouse pitched a complete game for Stratford to pick up the win. Tyler Veronee suffered the loss after pitching four innings. Both teams gave up 10 hits, but Summerville walked seven batters while Limehouse only walked two. Zach Dibble was 2-for-3 at bat for Summerville and both Millhouse and Fletcher were 2-for-4.

For seniors Pat Dolan, Jeb Thompson, Wyman Bales, Millhouse, Dibble, Wheeler and Bouronich, it was their final game wearing a Green Wave uniform.