quote:
Lynchburg wins opener as Caruso hurls Post 16 past Kentucky
By: DENNIS BRUNSON | The News & Advance
Published: August 10, 2012
SUMTER, S.C. --
Dylan Caruso had pitched a total of 19 1/3 innings for Virginia state champion Lynchburg entering the American Legion baseball Southeast Regional on Thursday at Riley Park. Yet there he was, toeing the rubber in Post 16’s opening game against Kentucky state champion Shelbyville.
The right-hander showed why Post 16 head coach Chris Glaize made that decision, tossing seven shutout innings as Lynchburg defeated Kentucky 3-2.
“Dylan was coming off an arm injury from high school, and we’ve been bringing him along slowly,” said Glaize, whose team improved to 23-3 on the season. “He was on a pitch count today, and we got him out when he got there. We put him out there because we know he is going to battle and give us everything he’s got.”
And what Caruso had was pretty good.
Caruso, who has been recovering from a strained tricep tendon, scattered four hits while striking out five and walking none. He retired 15 of the final 16 batters he faced, leaving the game with a 3-0 lead.
“I felt great out there today,” said Caruso, who improved to 4-1. “I had everything working and was able to hit my spots. I was getting a lot of ground balls and the defense was playing great behind me.”
Shelbyville, which fell to 19-12, got a hit off of Caruso in the first and two in the second. The second was a two-out single by Buddy Johnson on which Logan Bailey was thrown out at home plate by right fielder Travis Burnette.
After that, Caruso retired 14 straight batters before giving up a two-out single to Zach Wiley in the seventh. Caruso then struck out Drew Greenwood with his 79th — and final — pitch of the game. His pitch count was 80.
“No, I didn’t [try to talk Glaize into leaving him in the game],” Caruso said.
“I thought their pitcher did a great job,” said Shelbyville coach Jim Wiley. “We had been hitting the ball pretty good, but he shut us down today. Sometimes you run into a pitcher who shuts you down and we did today.”
Shelbyville starter Chris Cervantes ran into trouble in the second inning. He walked Matt Blanks to open the inning and, after an out, he hit consecutive batters to load the bases. Joseph Knight followed with an RBI single and David Pultz drew a walk to force in another run.
Cervantes got Dimitri Cheatham to hit into a double play to get out of the inning.
He walked the bases loaded in the fourth before getting out of it without a run. However, with one out in the fifth, a Nygeal Andrews double followed by a Blanks single gave Lynchburg a 3-0 lead and chased Cervantes from the game.
Austin Perry relieved Cervantes and pitched 4 2/3 innings of 1-hit baseball with three Ks and one walk.
Jesse Stinnett came in from third base to relieve Caruso to start the eighth. After retiring the first batter, Stinnett got Johnson to hit a grounder to Caruso, who was now at third. He threw the ball away, sending Johnson to second. Nathan Clifrton hit a grounder to Andrews at shortstop, and it went through his legs and Johnson scored to make it 3-1.
After another out, singles by Jordan Bailey and Brandon Roberts scored Clifton to make it 3-2 and left runners on the corners. Andrews came into pitch and got Logan Bailey to hit into a fielder’s choice.
Shelbyville didn’t go down easily in the ninth. Greenwood doubled with one out, but Andrews struck out Perry and got Johnson to pop up on the infield to end the game.
“The good news is we came out of here with a victory and we didn’t hit the ball the way we can,” Glaize said. “I think when we get the bats going, we’re going to be OK.”
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Lynchburg Post 16 Wins Second Straight Regional Game
Posted: Aug 11, 2012 12:37 AM EDT
By Dennis Carter
Sumter, SC - Another game, another win for Lynchburg Post 16.
Make it 10 straight now as Lynchburg defeated Florence, South Carolina 7-2 in the American Legion Southeast Regional in Sumter, South Carolina.
Post 16 scored seven runs on just three hits, scoring 4 in the sixth, 3 in the seventh to take charge and improve to 2-and-0 in the regional. Matt Blanks delivered a 2-run triple for Lynchburg.
Post 16 will play in a winner's bracket game Saturday night at 6.
