Tigers take eight to Panthers in baseball regionals

By Brian Hunsicker

Published: May 28, 2008

Scott Betterly had a goal: pound fastballs on the outside of the plate. In doing so, he’d accomplish an even greater goal: Get his Brentsville teammates out of a potentially season-ending jam.

Betterly, the Tigers’ third relief pitcher, worked out of a two-on, one-out situation in Wednesday’s eighth inning. Brentsville seized the momentum, closing out the game in the bottom of the inning on Justin Frazier’s game-winning single, beating Potomac Falls 4-3 in the Region II semifinals.

Brentsville (21-2) will host Broad Run in the title game on Friday at 7 p.m. The Tigers also advanced to the state tournament with the victory.

After a Tiger fielding error and a walk by reliever Jonathan Desilets, Potomac Falls’ James Waggoneer sacrificed both runners into scoring position. Desilets gave way to Betterly, who got No. 9 hitter Ben Sweger to pop up his bunt attempt to first baseman Hayden Gilmer.

An intentional walk followed, loading the bases for Greg Woodleif. Woodleif worked the count full, but was called out on strikes after watching a low, outside fastball sail by, preserving the tie. That was mostly the spot Betterly was aiming for.

“Maybe wanted a little bit higher,” he said with a wide grin, “but I’ll take it.”

In the bottom of the inning, Brentsville took advantage. Chase Garrison led off with a single and moved to second on Betterly’s sac bunt. Gilmer was intentionally walked — keeping a double-play chance alive — before Justin Weaver struck out on four pitches. That brought up Frazier, who hit a clean single to center. Garrison rounded third and easily beat the throw home, which was offline.

“I knew either Weaver or Frazier, one of the two Justins, was going to get it done,” Tigers coach Brian Knight said. “It ended up being Frazier and I’m ecstatic for him, I’m thrilled for him. I’m so happy for him because he’s worked his butt off.”

Brentsville’s starting pitcher, Rich Lindsay, threw 106 pitches in five innings of work. Despite the high pitch count, Lindsay took a no-hitter into the fifth inning; he got five of the first six outs via strikeout.

Potomac Falls (17-7) eked out a run in the first, when Lindsay walked leadoff batter Rob Malan. He stole second, moved to third on a Lindsay balk and scored on a wild pitch. Only their final run, which came in the fifth, was the result of multiple hits.

Brentsville answered with a run in the bottom of the inning on Frazier’s infield single. In the fourth, they took their first lead of the game on run-scoring hits by Gilmer and Tyler LeGrand.