The Spartan baseball team rode a six-run fifth inning to defeat Ballard 8-4 on Thursday, but fell victim to a five-run Blanchet outburst on Tuesday and dropped a 6-3 decision.
“The toughest part of our schedule should be over,” said coach Jayson Gore, as many observers feel that Ballard and Blanchet, along with Seattle Prep – to whom the Spartans lost on Monday – are Bainbridge’s chief Metro rivals.
After spotting Ballard two runs in the top of the second, Bainbridge took advantage of a two-out error to tie the score on successive doubles by Scott Leslie and Simon Pollack.
An inning later, Pat Crowthers walked, Troy Apro reached on an error and Ross McKinstry walked. Pat Fiander drove in two runs with a single. Andy Nelson walked, then a walk to Sam Donnelly forced in a run. After a strikeout, Pollack walked for yet another run. An out later, Crowthers doubled in the final two runs of the inning.
The Beavers made things interesting in the top of the seventh. With one out, a walk, error and double scored one run. Leslie relieved starter Steve Tawresey and walked the first batter he faced. After striking out the next hitter, Leslie forced in a run with a walk and brought the tying run to the plate. But he struck him out to end the game.
Against Blanchet, Bainbridge had taken a 2-1 lead in the home-half of the third on Apro’s clutch two-out, two-run single to left, as Leslie’s head-first slide barely beat the throw for the go-ahead run.
But the Braves quickly regained the lead in the top of the fourth, as a two-out walk opened the floodgates for three more walks and three base hits. Pollack singled in the seventh, stole second and third and scored on a fielder’s choice for the Spartans’ final run.
The team hosts Cleveland Wednesday to conclude a four-game homestand.
Bainbridge JV 7, Blanchet JV 2 – With the Spartans trailing by a run going into the top of the seventh in Tuesday’s game at Lower Woodland, Scott Rasmussen drove in Kyle Rohl to even the score. Then the Spartans exploded for five runs in the eighth to secure the win.
Mike Ersser and Nick Schuetz each pitched four innings, allowing a combined three hits and two walks. Nathan Gottlieb and Rohl both had two hits.
“Our defense – especially Kevin Roach, Gottlieb and Adam Knappe – made me look like a good coach,” said coach Mike Benz.
