Bulldogs prove fourth-seed worth with win over Potosi

By DONN ADAMSON\Daily Journal Sports Editor

FRANKCLAY - The West County Bulldogs were the only small-school conference team selected in the top four for the MAAA Conference Baseball Tournament. In their first game of the tournament, the fourth seeded Bulldogs silenced any critics by defeating the fifth seed Potosi Trojans 12-2 in five innings.

For three innings it looked to be either team's ball game, but in the fourth the Bulldogs had a break-out inning, sending 14 batters to the plate for seven hits and 10 runs.

John Barnett, who threw a four-hitter, kept the Potosi batters off-balance for the entire game. Barnett was matched in performance by Potosi's Andy Aubuchon for the first three innings.

Both teams used the sacrifice to get their scoring started. A lead-off double by James Abel in the bottom of the second was backed up with two walks issued to Whitehead and Derek Stevens to fill the bases. Designated hitter Jesse Dean scored Abel with a sacrifice fly that was chased down by Potosi's second baseman J.R. White in short left-center, but the throw home would be too late.

Potosi used the sacrifice bunt and fly to score their two runs in the game. Answering West County's first run, the Trojans catcher Matt Reed led off with a single. Reed advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by White. Seeing no one at third, Reed continued his course around the bases. The throw to third went wide and Reed trotted home for the run.

The Trojans were able to put runners on second and third base with one out, but Barnett struck out two of the next three batters to get out of the inning without any further damage.

In the fourth inning, Jared Politte took one for the team, and was sacrificed to second by Kevin Brown. An infield single by Reed and a walk to White filled the bases setting up a sacrifice fly by Aubuchon.

In the bottom of the fourth, three straight singles chased Aubuchon from the mound. Potosi's Matt Rogers entered in relief hoping to squelch the Bulldogs rally, but instead was greeted on his first pitch by a double smashed down the line by Sean Brake and the rout was on.

The Bulldogs momentum had a double affect. It not only carried over from batter to batter, but Potosi's defense also fell apart with three errors in the inning. The Trojans did not have an error before the fourth inning.

Nathan McCulloch took the mound after the third Potosi error, and was able to get a ground ball hit to short that was even bobbled, but still with time to get the runner at second.

With the score 11-2, McCulloch's turn at West County's onslaught came in the fifth inning. After hitting Barnett with a pitch, McCulloch was treated to three straight singles by the Bulldogs to score the winning run.

West County will face Farmington today in a championship semi-final game at Farmington. Potosi will play Arcadia Valley at North County in the fifth-place semi-final game.

Potosi 00110 - 2 4 3

West County 010 (10)1 - 12 11 1

Pitching: WP- Barnett 5i 2r 4h 3k 4bb 3hb, LP- Aubuchon 3i 4r 4h 1k 4bb, Rogers 2/3i 7uer 4h 1k 1bb, McCulloch 1/3i 1r 3h 0k 0bb.

Hitting: Potosi - Reed 2, Aubuchon, Rogers. West County - Blair 3, Whitehead 2, Stevens 2, Brake, Dean, McCoy, Abel. 2b- Blair, Brake.