Collin Miller connects with an RBI single for the Bengals in the first. (Photo/Kristy Kimball Massey)
BLYTHEWOOD (April 20, 2016) – The Westwood baseball team hardly got a chance to respond to arch rival Blythewood Tuesday night.
The Bengals hung seven runs on the scoreboard and chased two Redhawks pitchers from the mound in the top of the first inning. Blythewood put up five more runs in the third en route to a 12-1 victory in five innings at the Westwood baseball field.
“We got a big hit with the bases loaded early on,” Blythewood head coach Barry Mizzell said. “Then we got a hit with a couple of guys on second and third, and they struggled throwing strikes after that, and they walked a few guys.”
Westwood starting pitcher Zane Badmaev got into trouble early. Jordyn Adams swatted a one-out double, then scored on a Todd Mattox single for the first run.
Badmaev then walked Tony Robson and Ryan Bland to load the bases for Justin Greider. Greider cleared the bases when he doubled to right centerfield to put the Bengals up 4-0.
Jordan Black grounded out for the second out of the inning, but when Chris Brown singled in Greider to make it 5-0, that was the end for Badmaev.
It was not the end of the Bengals offense.
Lamar Gregory came on in relief, but designated hitter Collin Miller singled to drive in Brown and make it 6-0. Gregory walked Davis and Adams to load the bases, and that was the end of Gregory’s stint on the mound.
Branden May came on to face Mattox — the 12th batter of the inning — and before striking out Mattox to retire the side, Miller scored the seventh run of the frame on a wild pitch.
The lopsided first inning gave coach Mizzell a chance to rethink his starting pitcher. Greider was scheduled to pitch for the Bengals, but Mizzell opted to give Chase Ellis some work on the mound instead.
Ellis delivered. Behind him, the Bengals retired the first six Westwood batters. He gave up two Redhawks hits in the third, and surrendered a triple to Matthew Oxendine and an RBI single to T.J. White in the fourth inning, but the right-hander struck out five and walked none.
“Our kid threw strikes and we played pretty good defense,” Mizzell said. “This was Justin’s turn to pitch, it just follows on turns. When we got up 7-0, we said we might just save him and throw him a few innings tomorrow (at Lexington). We wanted Chase to get in some innings and he went out and did a good job for us.”
Blythewood (14-8 overall, 7-2 Region IV-4A) travels to Lexington Wednesday and to Ridge View Friday.
Westwood (7-11, 2-7) plays host to Irmo Wednesday and is at Spring Valley Friday.
Blythewood 705 00 – 12 8 0
Westwood 000 10 – 1 4 1
B: Chase Ellis (W) and Ryan Bland. W: Zane Badmaev (L), Lamar Gregory (1), Branden May (1), Ethan Barton (3) and Elijah Heatley. 2B –B: Jordyn Adams, Justin Greider. 3B – W: Matthew Oxendine. LOB – W 2. B 5.
