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Pirates Win BayBear
Classic Over St. Paul's
Fairhope takes
second straight title
By TONY WHITEHEAD -
GCN Sports
Mobile,
AL (March 1, 2010) -- You could call it the Domino
effect.
After trading one-run leads
early and opening the top of the third at 2-2, the Pirates’
Chase Domino blasted a levee-breaking three-run home run to
cap a three-run third and set the offensive tone in the 2010
BayBears High School Classic at Hank Aaron Stadium Feb. 23.
Fairhope would add six more in
the fifth and 10-run rule the previously undefeated St. Paul
Saints 15-5 in five to defend and renew the title.
“I’m really proud of the kids,”
said FHS head coach Stu Fuller who patiently listened to his
players, assistant coaches and Pirate fans sing 'Happy
Birthday' after the win. It was his second straight BayBears
championship birthday party at the Hank after celebrating
his 44th there last year.
Fuller said the first two
innings had him thinking the party might not turn out as
happy until Domino’s shot.
“(His) three-run homer
definitely gave us the momentum and it pumped (starting
pitcher) Peyton (Fuller) up a little bit because he went out
and put zeroes up in the bottom of that inning. That
momentum kind of swayed toward us. Peyton had a little
trouble in the first couple of innings, but battled and kept
us in the game.”
Visiting FHS scored first in the
first when Daryl Norris drove in Wes Kent from third.
Kent drew a lead-off walk then
went to third on Garrett Pitts’ single.
But the Saints scored two in
their half, both unearned on two errors.
Justin Hathcock trippled and
scored in the second to tie it 2-2 on a sac-fly by Domino.
St. Paul’s took the lead 3-2 in
the bottom of the second on back-to-back hits, but a pickoff
play from FHS catcher Evan East to first baseman Cody
Etheridge prevented another run.
FHS took the lead for good when
Domino ‘s shot over the right-field wall scored Norris who
had walked and East who had singled.
In the fourth, Fuller opened
with a bunt single and later scored on a Norris sac-fly,
Pitts scored on a walk to Etheridge and Kaleb Naseman —
hitting .500 from the nine spot — drove in East and Domino
with a single.
Coach Fuller said it ‘s always
nice to have good hitters throughout the lineup.
“It’s good to see the kids swing
the bat,” he said. “And it’s all the way up and down the
line.”
In the fifth, Norris tripled,
Etheridge doubled, Domino singled and Kent had a sac fly as
six more Pirates crossed the plate.
St. Paul’s scored one, but with
one on and one out, Cory McCarron hit into a 4-6-3 double
play to close the book.
Fuller picked up the win for the
Pirates going five innings, scattering seven hits. Domino
and Naseman each had three hits for Fairhope. Domino added
five RBIs. Norris drove in four , Etheridge three and Kent
one.
Domino was named the Chris
Boyett Silver Slugger, an award named to honor the memory of
former Fairhope, Faulkner State and University of South
Alabama star Chris Boyett. Norris was named the Larry
Andrews pitchering winner and Pitts was named the Jake Peavy
MVP.
Other Pirates named to the
All-Tournament team included East, Fuller and Kent. Daphne’s
Dillon Schaniel, Baldwin County’s Justin Miller, Spanish
Fort’s Patrick McGavin, Foley’s Taylor Wheaton,
Robertsdale’s Josh Baxter and Gulf Shores’ Bradan Bateman
were also named All-Tournament for 2010. |
