By NATE BEIER | For the County Line
The Brookwood baseball team put together an impressive offensive effort against Bangor, the defending conference champion, resulting in a 15–5 win April 14.
But the Falcons couldn’t match their production Monday afternoon, as they took their first league loss after falling 5–0 to Hillsboro.
Brookwood belted out 10 runs over the course of the first two innings against Bangor last week. The Cardinals’ pitching helped out, as they walked five and put four on after getting hit by a pitch.
Eight Falcon batters notched at least one hit, and senior Jack Hansen led the offense with a 3–4 performance in the game. Justin Marten ended the game with a walk-off hit in the fifth to set up the 10-run-rule victory.
Getting the win, Jack Hansen pitched four innings, striking out three and walking just two. Matthew Hansen pitched the fifth and allowed two unearned runs.
“We have really looked sharp at the plate so far,” said head coach Paul Olbert. “We have been a little shaky in the field so far, but hopefully we can improve with a few more outdoor practices.
The 11th-ranked Falcons hoped to roll the momentum of the win over Bangor into Monday’s crucial game against Hillsboro, but the Tigers weren’t having any part of it. Hillsboro one-hit Brookwood and came away with a 5–0 win.
Tommy Crandall struck out 11 Falcon batters and allowed just one hit in Monday’s game. Crandall was the losing pitcher in last year’s Division 4 regional championship game that Brookwood won 2–1.
Jack Hansen was credited with an error after an errant throw off a Hillsboro bunt allowed two runs to score in the second. The Tigers picked up another unearned run in the fifth after a miscalculation by the infield.
Brookwood threatened in the seventh innings by loading the bases with just one out, but Crandall earned two strikeouts to end the game.
Hillsboro was held to just six hits, three of which were by Tyler Crandall.
“Our approach at the plate, combined with our inexperience at the bottom of the order, made it difficult to score runs,” Olbert said. “The Tigers are a tough team, and I’m sure that they will contend for both the conference and Division 4 regional titles this season.”
Brookwood falls to 2–1 in both league play and overall. Hillsboro is 2–3 overall and 2–1 in conference action.