FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE
(Courtesy of Memphis Media Relations)
Freshman Trey Turner’s two-out infield single plated fellow freshman Heith Hatfield for the game-winning run in the bottom of the ninth to give the Blue team a 6-5 win over the Gray in Game 3 of the 2008 Garibaldi’s Series. The Zu Crew (Blue) takes a 2-1 series lead with the win.
In a see-saw battle, catcher Shawn Ablett put the Gray team up 3-2 in the top of the fifth with a two-out, two-run single. However, the Feds’ lead was short-lived as the Blue team answered with two runs in the home half of the inning to recapture the lead, 4-3. Game 3 MVP Drew Martinez got things going in the inning with a leadoff double to the left centerfield gap. Brett Bowen and Jacob Wilson followed with consecutive walks to chase starter Ben Paullus to the showers. The Zu Crew was not done as Cole Shelton greeted Gray reliever Garrett Hachtel rudely, driving the first pitch into the right-center gap for a sacrifice fly to score Martinez. Zach Helton then laced a single into right to score Bowen to put the Blue up by two runs. Hachtel then struck out Heith Hatfield and Dan Kaufmann to avoid any further damage in the inning.
Martinez put the Blue Team up 5-3 in the bottom of the sixth, plating Zach Clark with a sac fly to center. Clark was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and advanced to third on two consecutive successful dirt-ball reads.
The Gray side responded with a two-run seventh to knot the game at 5-5. Junior Trey Wiedman led off the inning with a single and quickly stole second. After Ablett and Eric Farrell drew walks to load the bases, it was Chase Sain who came through with the game-tying hit–a two-run single that scored Trey Wiedman and Shawn Ablett.
The Feds’ pitching staff struggled, but its defense kept the team in the in the game with several key defensive plays that allowed the staff to work around eight walks and three hit batsmen. The Blue team got a solid start out of freshman Hatfield. The Bartlett High School product was effective, fanning seven in five innings. He gave up three runs on five hits.
Martinez paced the Zu Crew with a perfect 3-for-3 day. He banged out a double, had an RBI and added two stolen bases. Cole Shelton helped the Blue victory, going 2-for-3, with an RBI. Hatfield, Helton and Turner had one hit each.
Hatfield’s start on the mound was aided by three strong bullpen performances. The freshman handed the ball to Dane Sharp, who tossed a scoreless inning before turning things over to Jonathan Jones. Jones went 2.1 innings and allowed two runs on three hits. He struck out two and walked three. Freshman Brandon Showmar earned the win after shutting the Feds out in two-thirds innings of work.
Ablett and Sain paced the Gray lineup with two hit and two RBI each. Farrell went 1-for-3 with an RBI.
Paullus worked four strong innings for the Feds’. He was touched up for four runs on four hits. He struck out one and walked six. Hachtel gave up a run in 3.2 innings. He fanned three, but also struggled with his command, walking one and hitting three. Worth Tate was tagged with the loss after giving up a run on two hits in an inning of work.
The teams will return to the diamond for Game 4 on Tues., Nov. 11. First pitch for the seven-inning affair is set for 2:40 p.m. The Blue team will send Chris Novikoff to the mound to face the Gray’s Worth Tate.
