With an intense sun peeking through heavy clouds the weather oscillated between steaming and sizzling on Saturday, but the BCI baseball team stayed hot for a better part of the afternoon as it topped Biggs Logging 14-5 in a playoff game in the Minor League division of the Cal Ripken League.
With the win, BCI staved off elimination and will continue to peruse a tournament title.
“It feels great. These kids have worked hard for this,” BCI coach Riley Youmans said. “We started out real bad, we were one of the worst teams in the league but we were able to come together as a team and get through it and now we’re able to keep playing and that’s a good thing.”
Biggs Logging started off hot as it clubbed its way to a 5-1 lead after three-and-a-half innings, but BCI clawed its way ahead of Biggs Logging with a nine-run fourth.
“We’ve just been able to stick together as a team and not get down,” Youmans said. “We’ve come back from losses and we’ve been able to stick together, that’s the main thing. Our pitching has really come around and so has our hitting.”
The loss eliminated Biggs Logging from the tournament but coach Travis Biggs said his team enjoyed its season.
“It’s been real fun,” Biggs said. “We’ve come a long way. Our first game we lost 22-2. Our last four games of the regular season we either won by two runs or lost by one so I know they’ve come a real long way. I’m really proud of them.”
Keifer Boyd and Tyler Modlin pitched for Biggs Logging and gave a strong effort, while several players had big afternoons for Biggs Logging.
A.C Carrawan pitched the first three innings for BCI, while Braxton Baynor threw the final two innings to close out the contest.
“It was a great effort by both of them,” Youmans said. “A.C. came in and it was hot out there but he was able to throw strikes. Then, Braxton came in and he was able to throw strikes and close it out. You can’t ask for anything more than that from these young boys.”
Down 5-1 going into the bottom of the fourth, BCI rallied for nine runs to grab hold of the lead. Trailing 5-4, BCI’s Elijah Sharpe stole home on a past ball to tie the game up. BCI would take the lead when Baynor delivered what would prove to be the game-winning hit.
BCI wasn’t done there, as Baynor would eventually get to third and steal home before Carrawan belted a two-run base hit to go ahead 9-5.
“What clicked for us was that we were able to run the bases well,” Youmans said. “Those boys did a real good job of paying attention to where the ball was and they were able to get around and score when we needed it the most.”