Blythewood Holds On To Defeat Hanahan 7-6 In HIT Championship Game

By Rob Gantt

Special To The HSSR

Hanahan--There's always some wise person hanging around the ballpark who has seen their share of games in their time and is quick to throw out the sports adage "it ain't over 'til it's over."

The baseball teams from Blythewood and Hanahan proved that person was right again in the Hanahan Invitational Championship game Thursday, April 9, at Hanahan's Sportsman's Field.

The Bengals held on for a wild, 7-6 victory to capture the Steadman Division title in the annual HIT tournament. The Hawks nearly rallied all the way back from a 7-0 deficit in their last two at-bats.

Blythewood coach Travis Poole told his team it could have had a cleaner finish.
"A win is a win and we're happy when we win," Poole said. "You always use the 12-hour rule whether you win or lose. You reflect and then, after that, you wash it."
The Bengals (17-2) extended their win streak to 15 games by going 4-0 in the HIT, also beating Georgetown (9-3), Wando (6-4), and Greenbrier Christian (6-0) in the 56th annual event.

HIT Tournament MVP Johnny Collins, a senior first baseman/pitcher for the Bengals, highlighted a five-run top of the third inning with a three-run blast over the left field fence.

Blythewood added single runs in the fourth and sixth innings to take a seemingly comfortable 7-0 lead over the Class AAA Hawks.

"Any time you get into a tournament, the first game or two you're just on spring break," Poole said. "Then, all of a sudden you're playing for something and the atmosphere gets better. I think they get a little jacked up and a little excited in the game. It was fun. I tell them go have fun because you only get to do this once. When you're here, enjoy it."

Second baseman Chance Johnson and outfielder Navy Strickland tallied two hits apiece for the Bengals and leadoff hitter Sergio Melendez, the shortstop, doubled in a run. Outfielder Amare Counts and catcher Brandon Bolton chipped in RBIs.
Johnson also made an impact on the mound, closing the door on Hanahan's comeback in the seventh.

After being greeted with a double that put the potential winning run at second base, Johnson fielded a bunt back to the mound and flipped it home to cut down a runner for the first out. He finished it off with back-to-back strikeouts.

"When you've got a team down, you've got to be able to bury them," Poole said. "We didn't do that, but that shows the character of their kids for continuing to fight. They came back and stayed in it."

The Hawks (11-9) plated all six of their runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Blythewood had three walks, delivered a wild pitch, and committed an error to aid Hanahan in its rally.

Outfielder Tripp Gallus, catcher Hudson Sprovero, and designated hitter Will Muirheid collected two hits apiece for the Hawks, who finished 3-1 in the HIT.
Sprovero's RBI double pulled the Hawks within 7-6 with two outs in the bottom of the sixth.

"Hanahan has a phenomenal program," Poole said. "They're well-coached. They do everything the right way. I would play them 20 times if I could because I like playing good teams that are coached well."

Blythewood starter Andrew Blackwell was credited with the win. He threw four innings of three-hit ball and struck out five batters. Johnson was Blythewood's third reliever and garnered a save.

Young Hanahan reliever Bryce Rennie did a nice job over 4.1 innings after inheriting a 5-0 deficit, scattering four hits. He allowed one earned run with two strikeouts.