The Clarendon Bronco baseball team stifled Nazareth 8-2 in the Area round of the playoffs and earned the right to advance in post-season play. They were solid in their win and are looking to a trip to the state baseball game in June.
The Broncos began the game on a good note and scored all their runs in the first four innings. Nazareth’s pitcher came alive in the last half of the game to shut down the
Broncos’ offense.
“I was thinking we would break it open at any time, but we were not able to do that,” coach Brad Elam said.
“Naz’s pitcher kept us off balance and we were not able to score the runs we have the past couple of games.”
Elam is proud for the wins but knows the last few games have been good for the Broncos’ hitting. “These last three games have been good because we have seen quality pitching and that will get us better,” Elam said.
In the first inning of play, Brayden Phillips doubled, Johnny Gaines tripled Phillips in and Troy Chambless drove in Gaines. In the next inning, Diego Santos scored when Justin Shillings hit a triple and Phillips drove in Shillings.
The other four runs came from Gaines, Chambless, Trevor Cobb, and Dusty Rice. Phillips finished three for four with two runs scored and an RBI.
“Defensively, we did make some mistakes that we are going to have to clean up as we advance,” Elam said.
“Pitching, Johnny Gaines did an outstanding job limiting them to four hits, while striking out 16,” Elam said.
The Broncos will take on Stamford in the Regional Quarterfinals Friday and Saturday, May 20-21, in Lubbock, Texas at Westerner Field. The Friday game will begin at 6:00 pm and the Saturday game will be played at 1:00 p.m. If a game three is needed it will begin thirty minutes after the end of the second game.
They are looking for revenge, as Stamford was the team that knocked them out of the play offs last year. The Bronco team is also very appre ciative of the great fan support and packed stands at all of their games.
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