Friday, May. 09, 2008

Panthers sweep Yellow Jackets

By BRYCE NIEMAN

Fossil Ridge's baseball team is headed to the 4A regional quarterfinals after a 6-1 victory Friday night gave it the two-game sweep over Arlington Heights.

After Thursday night's marathon nine-inning game -- a 3-2 Ridge victory -- the Panthers came out and scored early Friday night on the Yellow Jackets home field, and held on thanks to a complete game pitching effort from Brendan Alvey and solid defense played behind him.

Alvey helped his own cause before even stepping on the mound, nailing a two-run homer over the left field wall in the top of the first inning.

The Yellow Jackets got their only run of the game in the bottom of the first, but the Panthers' bats exploded in the third inning to post four runs.

Ridge's five-run lead was enough of a cushion to ride to the victory in the 4A Region I area round.

"Arlington Heights is a great team," Alvey said, "but we did what we had to win. It was big for us. We played as a team and that's what we've got to do."

Heights had some success getting on base against Alvey, but the lefty came up with big pitches when he needed them and his defense was there to back him up.

"When you've got a five-run like that, (Alvey) did what he had to do," Ridge coach Doug Dulany said. "He just pounded the zone. They hit him a little bit, but we played great defense tonight."

Arlington Heights out-hit the Panthers 10-8 in the game, but Ridge committed no errors to the Yellow Jackets' two. Both Alvey and Heights pitcher Chris Vaughan pitched all seven innings.

Offensively, top half of the Panthers' lineup came up big for Ridge, scoring all six runs.

In the decisive third inning, Brian Vigo-Suarez led off with a double off the right field wall. Next, Jacob Bermejo walked setting up an Alvey single to left that scored Vigo-Suarez.

Heights' Vaughan struck out the next batter, but Carlos Rodriguez drove a double to left-center to score both Bermejo and Alvey. Rodriguez would eventually come around to score on a Brace Dunham single giving the Panthers their final 6-1 tally.

Alvey said he thought the Panthers did a solid job refocusing after Thursday night's extra long game.

"That little nine-inning game (Thursday) kind of wears on you, but I think we worked through it," Alvey said. "That's what you've got to do in the playoffs."

The Yellow Jackets had their chances to close the gap Friday night, but came up just short. Heights stranded seven runners in the last three innings.

Dulany said the win and extending the season was a big accomplishment, but it was also encouraging to defeat a team like Arlington Heights that has a strong tradition of playoff success.

"I think that says a lot for us," Dulany said. "That's kind of a skin on the wall. We've got a lot to be proud of. I'm really proud of the players."

Fossil Ridge now prepares for its next playoff opponent. The Panthers will face either Cleburne or Denton Ryan in a 4A Region I Quarterfinal.

Cleburne defeated Ryan on Friday night to force a Game Three at 1 p.m. Saturday at Saginaw.

5A Region I Area Round

Dallas Jesuit 2, Keller 0

The Rangers got two runs in the first three innings off Keller pitcher Stephen Kaminski. Meanwhile, Kyle Meinhardt and the Jesuit defense held the Indians offense scoreless.

Game Two of the best-of-three series will be 2 p.m. Saturday at Jesuit. If Keller wins, the teams will play a third game that afternoon to decide who advances to the regional quarterfinals.