Blazers blast Boonsboro

April 17, 2010|By WILL ROBINSON/Staff Correspondent

BOONSBORO -- Clear Spring kept its unbeaten season intact in an impressive way under gloomy skies Friday, routing Boonsboro 12-2 in an MVAL Antietam game shortened to five innings by the 10-run rule.

Led by Brandon Glazer's three-run home run in the first inning and Matt Braithwaite's grand slam in the third, the Blazers (9-0, 6-0) jumped out to a 12-0 lead by the fourth, showing no signs of fatigue from Wednesday's comeback win against Smithsburg.

Braithwaite finished with five RBIs, while he and Brad Banzhoff each scored three runs.

"We came out and just swung the bats," said Clear Spring coach Mark Shives.

Blazers starter Brian Lesher (3-0) had another solid outing, allowing two runs in five innings with six strikeouts and three walks.

"He was very efficient throwing strikes. We knew the rain was coming so we wanted to get started early," said Shives.

Boonsboro's pitching had an abysmal night. Starter Brian Cibula (0-4) lasted just two innings, giving up six runs on seven hits, including Glazer's home run to left-center.

Reliever Brandon Nokes surrendered the Blazers' other six runs. After giving up a single to Cody Englehart, he walked three straight batters, allowing Englehart to score. The next batter was Braithwaite, who launched a no-doubt shot to straightaway center.

Nathan Hardy finally stopped the bleeding for the Warriors (1-10, 1-4) with two innings of scoreless relief.

"Bad pitching has been our story all year," said Boonsboro coach Ben Leonard. "We lived up in the zone and got hit pretty hard. Our velocity's nowhere near where it needs to be."

Boonsboro's only offense came in the third inning. Jeremy Hardy singled, and Rodney Flora made it to second on an overthrow to first after another single. Nick Lum drove them in on a sharp double to center with one out.

The rally was quickly killed when Phil Hershberger struck out and Lum was caught stealing third.

Clear Spring 336 00 -- 12 12 2
Boonsboro 002 00 -- 2 4 0
Lesher and Rowe. Cibula (1), Nokes (3), N. Hardy (4) and D. Beard. WP -- Lesher (3-0). LP -- Cibula (0-4). HR -- CS: Glazer (1st, two on), Braithwaite (3rd, three on).

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