Warriors finally get easy win vs. Westmar

May 16, 2002|BY JACK HILL III

Staff Correspondent

BOONSBORO - A high-tension May for the Boonsboro baseball team looked to continue against Westmar on Wednesday in the Class 1A West semifinals.

The Warriors were already down two runs after the first inning, and another nailbiter seemed to be a guarantee.

Then pitcher Craig Henson set down 12 in a row, and his teammates found their bats in a hurry, erupting for 13 runs in the next three innings for a 13-2 laugher that sent the third-seeded Warriors into Friday's region final.

They wait for the winner of today's game between top-seeded Southern Garrett and fourth-seeded Smithsburg.

"We have been doing a better job with situational hitting during the last couple of games," Boonsboro coach Fred Kreiger said. "We have played some unbelievably tough, close games lately. I have been waiting for us to break out. Today, we were able to do that."

Boonsboro's last 11 games have been decided by four runs or less - six of them by one run, another decided in the final at bat, and two others ended in ties.

Westmar (11-9) led 2-0 after its first at-bat on Chadd Kroll's two-run homer but Henson set down the next 12 in a row to give his offense a chance to make up the deficit.

"I just concentrated a little bit more after the first inning and I was able to keep that concentration," Henson said. "We got the hits at the right times and we didn't pop so many balls up in the air. This was probably my best performance of the season."

Boonsboro (16-4) turned its two-run deficit into a 6-2 lead in the second and piled on from there. Cody Hanes and Dan Wisner finished with two hits and three RBI each to lead the offense. Mike Fravel also drove in three and Keith Kellinger added two RBI.

The Warriors took advantage of five errors that were committed by the Wildcats.

"We gave them a lot of runs," Westmar coach Ross Metts said. "When you walk eight batters and hit three other batters, the whole team just gets down."

Henson's streak ended with two outs in the fifth on Richie Dellinger's double, but he struck out Dave Carey to end the game and put the Warriors one win from the state semifinals.

If Boonsboro wins on Friday, it will be its 10th region championship, and first since 1995.

Boonsboro 13, Westmar 2

Westmar 20000-225

Boonsboro 0625x-1380

Dellinger, Nicol (2), Fazenbaker (3), Kroll (4) and Marchinke. Henson and Himes. WP-Henson (4-1). LP-Dellinger. HR-W: Kroll (1st, one on).

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