BHS varsity baseball walks off to take 3 of 4 games By JAKE LINGER Sports Editor
The Bowie High School varsity baseball squad suffered through a few hiccups over the last week - an unexpected loss to Laurel in addition to the loss of senior pitcher/shortstop/second baseman Adam Scherer until at least the playoffs with a severe ankle sprain - but managed to overcome the roadblocks on their way to winning three of four games.
High Point visited Bowie and played the Bulldogs close to the vest for 62/3 innings, but leadership from the Bowie upperclassmen proved to be too much for High Point.
Both teams demonstrated topnotch pitching and defense through six innings with most of either teams' offensive success going for naught. In the top of the fourth inning, High Point reached base on a single, but the runner was thrown out by senior catcher Kevin Fink while attempting to steal second. Then with two outs, a High Point batter sent what would have been a double just inside the left field line, but an on-point throw from senior Tommy Isler nailed the runner at second.
In the bottom half of the inning, BHS was retired in order, as were the High Point batters in the top of the fifth. In the bottom of the fifth, senior Corey Altiere sent a single to right field and was replaced on the bag by senior Kenny Halleran, who was thrown out at second base even though he appeared to be safe. Bowie did favors for themselves defensively in the top of the sixth, perhaps preventing a High Point run from scoring. With two outs, the High Point batter popped a single just over the head of a jumping Scherer at shortstop. After a visit to the mound from pitching coach Joseph Lippert, Bowie gave up a sacrifice bunt that advanced the lead runner to second. But as the pattern had developed previously for both teams, High Point grounded out for the third out and stranded the runner.
Tight and closely matched games such as the Bowie-High Point affair can cause a coach to lose a few pounds in sweat. One mistake by your team can cost you the game and seeding throughout the playoffs, but just one lucky bounce or a mistake by the opponent can go a long way in determining how the rest of a game, and sometimes a season, will play out.
Senior Sam Ober led off the Bowie sixth inning with a single to right-center field, but was subsequently caught stealing second. A Jonathan Smock strikeout and a Dylan Thompson fly out to left field ended the inning.
If either of the two teams had been professional ballplayers, they would have earned their money in the seventh inning. With Altiere on the mound, High Point earned its first walk of the game and then followed with a single, but the lead runner was thrown out at second. An infield fly ball was handled well by Smock for the second out of the seventh. But the lone High Point base runner stole second and then advanced to third on a throwing error by Fink. Though the error was credited to Fink, the High Point batter clearly did not give Fink enough room to complete the throw to second, but the home plate umpire missed it.
With a runner at third and already having amassed two outs in the inning, High Point got a deep drive to left field that was nearly hauled in by Isler, and the runner at third was able to score the first run of the game. The next batter grounded out to end the inning.
The outcome looked bleak for Bowie entering the bottom half of the seventh. The team trailed, 1-0, and with neither team able to score for six innings, there was no reason to believe that the bottom of the seventh would offer anything different. Shane Stevens popped up to the pitcher to lead off the seventh, but a Scherer single to shallow left field gave BHS hope. The ball skipped over the glove of the High Point third baseman, almost as if the baseball gods had been watching over the Bulldogs.
The gods must have a wicked sense of humor. Hoping to make up for his throwing error in the top half of the inning, Fink blasted a shot to third base, which was also mishandled. But Scherer slid hard and awkward into second base and, as a result, badly sprained his ankle. He is expected to miss at least the remainder of the regular season. Not only does the senior provide seasoned defense and a solid bat, but his absence also leaves an obvious void on the BHS mound.
"Adam may be out for the rest of the season," said BHS coach Bob Estes, "but we're keeping our fingers crossed ... and hoping he can make it back and be ready around May 12 or so."
Mike Grzeskiewicz was at the plate when a passed ball advanced both Bowie base runners. The throw from the catcher to third sailed into center field, easily scoring the lead runner. After some swift base running, Fink avenged his seventh-inning error with a seventh-inning winning run.
"It was an outstanding game," said Estes, who said that this is the type of game that he hates to see either side lose. "I lost track of what happened," Estes said with a laugh, "because it all happened so fast. Our kids hung in there and really kept their heads, really (because of) some head's up running."
The Bulldogs next welcomed Laurel High School to BHS. Though the parents and coaches watching the game had hoped the momentum of the previous day's walk-off win against High Point - the first BHS walk-off win since 2004 - would carry over to the Laurel game, it was anything but close. After trailing for most of the game, BHS entered the bottom of the seventh inning trailing, 9-2. Bowie would have been nearly unbeatable had the game gotten into extra innings, but even a five-run inning could not allow the Bulldogs to catch Laurel.
Early season rain postponed a few games, leading the Bulldogs to play a doubleheader against Wise at BHS. Junior pitcher Eric Anderson got the start for Estes and he benefitted from aggressive offensive play from his mates.
Stevens nailed a two-RBI triple in the second inning and was helped out by smart base running from Thompson and sophomore Charlie Gardner. With a runner at third base, Altiere stood in and sent an RBI sac fly to left field. A pop-up ended the inning, but the inning ended the day for Wise. Bowie scored a total of 14 unanswered runs en route to the shutout win.
It was more of the same for Bowie in the second game of the day. They won the game, 13-1, behind a strong performance from starting pitcher Altiere. His line: 2 hits, 1 walk and 10 strikeouts. The win moved the team to 13 wins and two losses.
"Our team did a very good job today," said Estes, whose team was scheduled to play two games at Flowers Monday. Rain postponed the games which will likely be made up separately as opposed to a doubleheader.
