By By STEVE MORRISON / Niles Daily Star
NILES – Scoring 11 runs on eight hits in the bottom of the third inning, the Brandywine varsity baseball team tuned up for state tournament play in its 15-0 pasting of the Watervliet Panthers on Wednesday.
The victory tied a school record for triumphs at 26.
The Bobcats were looking to establish a new school record of 27 wins for a season, to surpass the 1997 team, which had recorded 26 wins. However, Watervliet coach Aaron Hyska decided to decline playing a second game of the doubleheader, which 'Cats coach Dave Sidenbender had assumed was going to take place.
After shutting down Watervliet in the top of the first, the Bobcats struck for two runs with two out, in the bottom half of the frame. Brandywine's starting pitcher, Dan Reidenbach singled, made second on a wild pitch and scored on first baseman Dominique Pompey's single.
Cam Ondresky, the fiery catcher for Brandywine, delivered Pompey for a second tally with a double.
After Reidenbach set down the side, in order, in the top of the second, the Bobcats scored two more with two gone. Jesse McCombs doubled, Reidenbach singled him in and Pompey pounded a double past second to the gap in right-center, plating Reidenbach.
Watervliet's Panthers managed three harmless singles against winner Reidenbach, in a three-inning shortened contest due to the lopsided score.
When Willie Loshbough and Kevin Bryce singled after one out, the Panthers mounted a mild scoring threat in the top of the third inning, but Reidenbach retired the side with no dents on the scoreboard for the visitors.
In the bottom of the third it was a nuclear attack by Brandywine.
Leading 4-0, the hosts scored 11 runs. Every hitter scored one or more times, during the inning, as the 'Cats slugged reliever Danny Scowcroff for a ton of runs.
Singles by Shane Bankston, Zach Edquist, Pompey, Ondresky, plus Edquist and Bankston again enveloped back-to-back triples by Noah Udell and McCombs as the Brandywine Nine blew out 11-17 Watervliet.
Brandywine Coach Dave Sidenbender was bittersweet about the win.
"If we are to play two games, we're supposed to play two games. We could have set a new record (in total season wins for Brandywine). We wanted to go out and play two. You go out and play, to play and make you better," he commented.
Watervliet 000 – 0-3-3
Brandywine 22(11) – 15 14 0
WP – Dan Reidenbach (B)
LP – Kevin Bryce (W)
2B: Cam Ondresky (B), Jesse McCombs (B), Dom Pompey (B)
3B:Noah Udell (B), McCombs (B)