2A State Semi-Final – Big Sandy defeats Albany

As the sun began to set in the west, the wind shifted for the third time today.  It would blow in from centerfield.  Dallardsville Big Sandy would take the field at Dell Diamond for the 5^th time in the last three years.  Albany is no stranger to Dell Diamond either having been here in 2017.  Junior Ben West would take the mound for Albany.  Senior Brandon Hendrix for Dallardsville Big Sandy.

Brandon Hendrix gave up a leadoff single to start the game, but that was all the offense Albany could get.  Albany’s Ben West would strikeout the first 3 Big Sandy batters to send us to the second inning.  Both pitchers looked extremely confident with Hendrix touching 91 and West touching 90.  Not to be outdone, Hendrix would strikeout the next 3.  Broch Holmes would lead off the bottom half of the second with a single.  A couple of groundouts moved him to third, but that was a far as he would get as Ben West recorded strikeout number 4 to end the inning.

A walk would be the only base runner Albany would have reach base in the 3^rd.  Big Sandy would load them up in the bottom of the 3^rd but could not score.  With one out Bryan Duff singled to right field but Hunter Williams was thrown out trying to score at home for the second out.  Broch Holmes would fly out to left field, leaving the bases loaded and the threat neutralized.

The top of the 4^th brought out more cold Albany bats.  Hendrix would strikeout 2, allow 1 hit and get a groundout to shortstop Graden Emmons.  In the bottom of the 4^th, Ben West would get McKane Maxwell to groundout for out number 1. A strikeout, a walk and strikeout later we would head to the 4^th.

Someone left the Albany bats in the cooler in the 5^th also as it went strikeout, groundout to second, strikeout to send the Big Sandy bats back to the plate.  Big Sandy’s Case Sutherland would leadoff with a hit by pitch and he was immediately driven in on a triple by Graden Emmons.  Bryan Duff added an RBI with a single.  Broch Holmes would score him with a triple of his own.  This would force a pitching change as Cade Neve took the mound for Albany.  He would get a strikeout and a ground out to end the inning. The damage had been done. It was 3-0 Big Sandy.

In the top of the 6^th, Albany would get a couple on but Ben West would get doubled off at second to end any threat.  A quick popout to second and Albany would get out number one, but two walks would end Cade Neve’s night.  Ryan Hill would head to the bump down 3-0.  One pitch…one out.  Graden Emmons would pop out to first.  But a walk and a wild pitch would add one to Big Sandy’s totals.  At the end of the 6^th it was 4-0 Big Sandy.

Down to their last 3 outs, Albany wouldn’t go down quietly.  Cade Neve advanced to first on a wild pitch dropped 3^rd strike.  Cooper Fairchild advanced him to 3^rd on a single.  A walk would load the bases and a wild pitch scoring Albany’s only run would bring Broch Holmes to the mound for Big Sandy.  Two strikeouts later Broch would keep it interesting with another walk to load the bases.  The game would end on a popout in foul territory.  Big Sandy advances to face Linden Kildare in the 2A State Finals.

WP –  Brandon Hendrix

LP –  Ben West

Player of the Game:  Brandon Hendrix