Butler rallies for baseball win in Jack Sink Spring Break Classic
By Bill Kiser -
Correspondent
Butler's baseball team found itself in unfamiliar territory early in Tuesday's game against Charlotte Country Day - trailing.
But instead of sulking, the Bulldogs fought back, taking advantage of the Buccaneers' mistakes to take a 7-2 victory in the second day of the Jack Sink Spring Break Classic.
After giving up an early run, Butler (9-1) responded by scoring all of its runs over a three-inning stretch, then it rode a solid pitching game by Sean Sessoms to win its fourth straight.
"I told them before the game, 'spring break baseball is not 'have to,' it's 'want to,'" Bulldogs coach Rick Sambrotto said. "We were a little bit sluggish in (batting practice), but we picked it up.
"We've got some offensive goals in each game. One of them is to score first, another is to answer back. If we don't get to check off one of those goals, we move on to the next one."
Butler scored three runs in the third inning off three straight walks, a hit batter and a two-run single by Brady Cottom. The Bulldogs added a two-run double by Kobe Phillips in the fourth inning and a two-run error in the fifth.
Sessoms, a sophomore right-hander, then took over, allowing just two hits and one walk while striking out six batters. The complete-game victory improved his record to 4-0 this season.
Quote
"We looked at that early run, and we slowed down a little bit. We didn't compete after that." - Country Day coach Mike Hennessey.
Worth mentioning
The defensive plays of the game came from Country Day third baseman Trent Alley, who turned a line-drive snare into a double play in the third inning, and Buccaneers left fielder Broadus Roberson, who dove to haul in a line drive in the sixth. Jordan Huntley scored twice for Butler, and Phillips and Cottom had two RBIs. Alley and Zach Ostrow had the Bucs' hits.
What's next?
Butler will play Charlotte Latin at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday at East Mecklenburg High. Charlotte Country Day's game Wednesday against Hopewell is to be determined.
By Bill Kiser -
Correspondent
Butler's baseball team found itself in unfamiliar territory early in Tuesday's game against Charlotte Country Day - trailing.
But instead of sulking, the Bulldogs fought back, taking advantage of the Buccaneers' mistakes to take a 7-2 victory in the second day of the Jack Sink Spring Break Classic.
After giving up an early run, Butler (9-1) responded by scoring all of its runs over a three-inning stretch, then it rode a solid pitching game by Sean Sessoms to win its fourth straight.
"I told them before the game, 'spring break baseball is not 'have to,' it's 'want to,'" Bulldogs coach Rick Sambrotto said. "We were a little bit sluggish in (batting practice), but we picked it up.
"We've got some offensive goals in each game. One of them is to score first, another is to answer back. If we don't get to check off one of those goals, we move on to the next one."
Butler scored three runs in the third inning off three straight walks, a hit batter and a two-run single by Brady Cottom. The Bulldogs added a two-run double by Kobe Phillips in the fourth inning and a two-run error in the fifth.
Sessoms, a sophomore right-hander, then took over, allowing just two hits and one walk while striking out six batters. The complete-game victory improved his record to 4-0 this season.
Quote
"We looked at that early run, and we slowed down a little bit. We didn't compete after that." - Country Day coach Mike Hennessey.
Worth mentioning
The defensive plays of the game came from Country Day third baseman Trent Alley, who turned a line-drive snare into a double play in the third inning, and Buccaneers left fielder Broadus Roberson, who dove to haul in a line drive in the sixth. Jordan Huntley scored twice for Butler, and Phillips and Cottom had two RBIs. Alley and Zach Ostrow had the Bucs' hits.
What's next?
Butler will play Charlotte Latin at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday at East Mecklenburg High. Charlotte Country Day's game Wednesday against Hopewell is to be determined.
