The Kellam Knights bid to return to the State championship game got off to a rocky start but they survived a tight challenge from the upset-minded Grassfield Grizzlies to pull out a 4-3 win.
Senior Sam Sinnen pitched a complete game and was able to get the final three batters out despite a leadoff walk in the seventh.
Grassfield took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first with two extra- base hits. Donnie Read leadoff with a single and reached third on a double from Andrew Bullock. Max Burcham double in both runners for a 2-0 lead.
Kellam answered in the bottom half of the first inning with two runs of their own. Nick Walker drew a leadoff walk and trotted home on a triple to the deep right corner of the field by Old Dominion recruit Sam Sinnen. A sacrifice fly by Turner Bishop tied the game at two.
Sinnen came up big again in the 5th inning using his afterburners to stretch a double into his second triple. Junior David Mulac hit a sharp grounder off the arm of the shortstop bringing home pinch-runner Brett Forbes for a run that made the score 3-2 in favor of Kellam. Josh Worthley delivered a 2-out blast that appeared to hit the top of the right center field fence but it was ruled in-play and Worthley was credited with a triple. Mulac scored on the play giving Kellam a 2-run lead 4-2.
Burcham crushed a fastball off the wall of the left centerfield fence to bring home Kyle Salladay and cut the Knights lead to 4-3.
Grassfield starter Jacob Ziemke pitched well allowing four runs in five innings with five strikeouts. He allowed eight hits with the three triples being the most damaging. Freshman Garrett Stallings entered in the bottom of the sixth inning and did not allow a run.
Virginiapreps.Com Player of the Game
Shared award between pitcher Sam Sinnen who threw a complete game and his brother Kurt Sinnen who was the offensive catalyst with two triples and a RBI.
Grassfield Grizzlies
Burcham -- 2-3, two doubles, 3 rbi
K. Salladay -- 0-2, run, walk
Read -- 2-3, run
Bullock -- 1-3, run, 2b
Ziemke -- (L), 5 IP, 4 runs, 8 hits, 5 k's
Kellam Knights
K. Sinnen -- 2-3, two triples, rbi, run
Bishop -- 0-3, rbi
Mulac -- 2-3, rbi, run
Worthley -- 1-3, rbi 3b
Morrison -- 2-3, sb
Walker -- 0-3, run
S. Sinnen -- (W) 7 IP, 3 runs, 6 k's, 5 hits
This post was edited on 5/27 11:01 PM by wgarlick
Senior Sam Sinnen pitched a complete game and was able to get the final three batters out despite a leadoff walk in the seventh.
Grassfield took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first with two extra- base hits. Donnie Read leadoff with a single and reached third on a double from Andrew Bullock. Max Burcham double in both runners for a 2-0 lead.
Kellam answered in the bottom half of the first inning with two runs of their own. Nick Walker drew a leadoff walk and trotted home on a triple to the deep right corner of the field by Old Dominion recruit Sam Sinnen. A sacrifice fly by Turner Bishop tied the game at two.
Sinnen came up big again in the 5th inning using his afterburners to stretch a double into his second triple. Junior David Mulac hit a sharp grounder off the arm of the shortstop bringing home pinch-runner Brett Forbes for a run that made the score 3-2 in favor of Kellam. Josh Worthley delivered a 2-out blast that appeared to hit the top of the right center field fence but it was ruled in-play and Worthley was credited with a triple. Mulac scored on the play giving Kellam a 2-run lead 4-2.
Burcham crushed a fastball off the wall of the left centerfield fence to bring home Kyle Salladay and cut the Knights lead to 4-3.
Grassfield starter Jacob Ziemke pitched well allowing four runs in five innings with five strikeouts. He allowed eight hits with the three triples being the most damaging. Freshman Garrett Stallings entered in the bottom of the sixth inning and did not allow a run.
Virginiapreps.Com Player of the Game
Shared award between pitcher Sam Sinnen who threw a complete game and his brother Kurt Sinnen who was the offensive catalyst with two triples and a RBI.
Grassfield Grizzlies
Burcham -- 2-3, two doubles, 3 rbi
K. Salladay -- 0-2, run, walk
Read -- 2-3, run
Bullock -- 1-3, run, 2b
Ziemke -- (L), 5 IP, 4 runs, 8 hits, 5 k's
Kellam Knights
K. Sinnen -- 2-3, two triples, rbi, run
Bishop -- 0-3, rbi
Mulac -- 2-3, rbi, run
Worthley -- 1-3, rbi 3b
Morrison -- 2-3, sb
Walker -- 0-3, run
S. Sinnen -- (W) 7 IP, 3 runs, 6 k's, 5 hits
This post was edited on 5/27 11:01 PM by wgarlick