SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Tuesday’s Region III-3A clash between Chapman and the Broome Centurions was so puzzling, so odd, that it even caused coaches to search for answers.
Broome’s Jeb Dawson accomplished a cherished feat in baseball lore, but Chapman pushed across a late run to pick up a 1-0 victory. “How do you throw a no-hitter and lose?” asked Broome head coach Ben Waddle. To open the final frame, Walt Waddell drew a leadoff walk, reaching base for the third time in the game (hit by a pitch, reached on a Broome error). He took second on a wild pitch and swiped third with one out in the frame. “At Campobello-Gramling School,” Fusaro recalled. “I was on the losing end of our team throwing a no-hitter, losing 1-0 at Jonesville. It’s been 200 baseball games or whatever and here we are. This one felt a whole lot better and I’m so proud of not only Ricky, but our team as they had to battle and fight. Hats off to Jeb – he was big time tonight.” “My catcher did a great job behind the plate,” Dawson remarked. “I had confidence in him and Coach Waddle called a great game. I just went out there, played, and had fun with my teammates. It’s special to do something like this, but it doesn’t feel good tonight.” Next up was Johan Rodriguez, who put down a sacrifice bunt on the first base side of the mound, which allowed Waddell to touch home plate and break the scoreless tie. “Offensively, we had to change something,” stated Rodriguez. “None of us were doing our job (at the plate), so I went up there and told myself, ‘Let’s drive this run in and win this game.’ Coach Fusaro told me to bunt, so I did my job and executed it. It was a good win for us.” Dawson and Chapman’s Ricky Montalvo were locked in from the opening frame. Dawson only allowed one Panther runner (Waddell) to reach base, while striking out 12. Montalvo scattered four Centurion hits to go along with nine strikeouts on his ledger. “We knew Broome was a good team,” Montalvo said. “It was going to be a fight. It was tough because our at-bats weren’t really there, so I felt like I had to dominate on the mound. I didn’t want to lose this game.” “These guys (Dawson and Montalvo) are the two best 3A pitchers in the state,” Waddle exclaimed without hesitation. “Both are very competitive kids. They work off their fastball, challenge the hitters, and they work quick. That was a heck of a ballgame." “I’ve coached David Marchbanks, who went to South Carolina, was an All-SEC selection and was drafted, but Jeb is the best kid I’ve ever had (on a team). He’s a better person than he is a pitcher, so that should tell how good of a kid he is.” Chapman (11-6, 5-0 Region III-3A) will return home on Thursday night to host Greer at Mabry Park. Game time is scheduled for 6 PM. Broome (8-7, 3-4 Region III-3A) will host Chesnee (14-3) on Wednesday evening at 7:30 PM. -Justin Mathis Comments are closed.
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