Bears beat Trojans, Liberty Bell to extend district win record

BREWSTER – The Bears varsity baseball team extended its district record to 12-0 with wins over Manson, 11-1, on April 13, and Liberty Bell, 9-3, on April 11.

“This is the best Manson team we have ever faced,” said head coach Todd Phillips of the talented Trojans. “They did a good job of making the routine plays and I don’t think we have ever seen that before.”

Phillips credited the Bears’ “plate discipline” for making the difference in this game. 

“I don’t know how many full counts we went to but we really drove up the pitch count, 48 pitches in the first inning alone,” said Phillips. “That will almost always win you a game.”

Brewster scored three runs in the top of the first inning to ahead early. Reese Vassar and Brady Wulf opened it up with a walk and advanced bases via passed balls. Tyson Schertenleib hit a sacrifice fly to bring home Vassar.  Nico Maldonado walked and stole second. Eric Ramirez singled to score two more runs. 

Manson scored their lone run in the bottom of the second inning.

In the third inning Schertenleib bunted for a base hit, advanced on an error, stole third, and scored on a wild pitch. Maldonado walked, advanced on a series of balls in the dirt, and scored on a double steal after Ramirez walked.

The Bears added another run in the fourth when Vassar was hit by a pitch, was conceded second, and scored on Wulf’s single. 

In the fifth inning Brewster added two more runs after Ramirez walked to start the inning. Blake Burgett singled, both runners advanced and scored on back-to-back sacrifice flies by Kash Vandelac and Grant Baker. 

“We pushed it to the ten-run rule when Vassar singled and stole second. Wulf, Schertenleib and Maldonado walked to advance each other,” said Phillips. “Ramirez then singled in a run and Burgett drew a walk to bring the ten- run rule into effect.”

                        1          2          3          4          5          6          R         H         E 

Brewster         3          0          2          1          2          3          11        8          3 

Manson           0          1          0          0          0          0          1          2          1           

W-Brady Wulf (2-0) 

L- Brooks Pinski 

S-None 

2B-Brewster: Tyson Schertenleib (3); Manson: None 

3B-None 

HR-None 

Liberty Bell falls 9-3

Phillips praised Baker for both his pitching and at the plate play against the Mountain Lions.

“(We) needed his bat to get going again and really need him to eat up a lot of innings and he did both for us,” said Phillips. “We didn’t hit the ball exceptionally hard. (It) seems like the ball never flies when we play in Liberty Bell, but we did rack up the most hits we’ve had in a game all year.”

The Bears struck first for the 11th time this season when Vassar led off with a walk, advanced on a balk, stole third, and scored on a Schertenleib sacrifice fly.

Brewster scored another in the third when Vassar doubled to lead it off, advanced on a Wulf sacrifice fly and scored on Schertenleib’s single. Schertenleib stole second, advanced to third on a balk, and scored on a wild pitch. 

Liberty Bell got on the board in the fourth inning when Lucian Paz led off with a walk, advanced on an errant pick-off throw and scored on an Alumbaugh single.

In the next inning Wulf reached first on an error, stole second, and scored on back-to-back sacrifice flies by Maldonado and Schertenleib.  Brewster added some security in the next two innings.

“In the sixth, we got it all done with two outs,” said Phillips. “Baker singled after the first two batters were retired, stole second, and scored on Cole Aparicio’s base knock. Aparicio stole second and third and scored on Vassar’s RBI single.  Reese stole second, advanced to third on a passed ball and scored on Wulf’s RBI single.”

Ramirez singled in the seventh inning and advanced to third on an errant pick-off throw. Burgett singled to score Ramirez, Baker singled, and Aparicio singled to bring in Burgett.

“Baker was one out away from getting the complete game,” said Phillips. “After striking out the first two batters, he allowed a base hit to Mac Surface and walked Sawyer Crandall to reach his pitching limit and Eric Ramirez came in.

Ramirez walked J. Grady to load the bases and two runs scored on Paz’s double. 

                        1          2          3          4          5          6          7          R         H         E 

Brewster         1          0          2          0          1          3          2          9          13        4 

Liberty Bell    0          0          0          1          0          0          2          3          5          3           

W-Grant Baker (3-1) 

L- Lucian Paz 

S-None 

2B-Brewster: Reese Vassar; Liberty Bell: Lucian Paz 

3B-None 

HR-None