Brant Alazaus dominant in West Branch win over Hubbard
BELOIT
The West Branch baseball team is getting a shot at a little revenge next week.
The Warriors (17-7) are slated to play Niles in a district semifinal Monday at Cene Park after a 7-1 victory over Hubbard in a sectional final. The Red Dragons knocked West Branch out of the tournament last year, 5-4 in eight innings.
“I know [Niles is] good,” West Branch head coach Shawn Alazaus said. “I’ve heard nothing but good things about them. I know it’ll be a real challenge.”
West Branch pitcher Brant Alazaus pitched all seven innings, striking out seven Hubbard batters while allowing five hits and one walk (which was picked off immediately from first base).
“[Brant] had his changeup working today,” Shawn Alazaus said. “He was able to locate his fastball and mix in his change — and then his curve a little bit to keep them off balance.”
On offense, sophomore Jake Lyons had two hits, including a double and a walk from the ninth spot in the lineup, while T.J. DeShields ripped a triple that brought in two runs to put the game out of reach in sixth inning.
In total, the Warriors smacked six hits but also worked five walks from Hubbard pitching and benefitted from three fielding errors that allowed runners to reach.
“That’s been our Achilles’s heel all year being a little inconsistent at offense,” Shawn Alazaus said. “I felt like today one through nine we took good at bats all the way through.”
Things got off to a solid start for West Branch when leadoff hitter Seth Schroeder worked a base on balls. After a couple of groudouts, cleanup hitter Connor Hedrick ripped an 0-2 pitch to left field to plate the opening run.
It became 2-0 after two inning when Hubbard second baseman Dom Hover booted a ground ball that allowed Schroeder to score again.
Hubbard had their best chance in the fourth inning when Lukas Mosora and Tim Herberger both singled to begin the inning. Then Kent Kroynovich advanced a runner home on a groundout after a passed ball moved both runers into scoring position.
It looked as if Hubbard may tie the game but Herberger got caught in a rundown between third and home on a slow dribbler. That, combined with Mason Walker’s diving catch in centerfield to rob Hover with an opportunity to drive in a run ended the threat.
West Branch immediately added on in the bottom half of the fourth when Lyons doubled, chasing Hubbard starter Mason Trinckes from the game. Schroeder singled and eventually a sacrifice fly by DeShields brought home the third run. Smart baserunning by Brant Alazaus when Hedrick got caught in a rundown between first and second allowed the fourth run to score.
DeShields’ blast in the sixth and Brant Alazaus striking out the side in the seventh was all the Warriors needed to earn their rematch with Niles.
“This is the best played game of the year for us,” Shawn Alazaus said. “We place a lot of emphasis on the tourney and well tell them [one bad inning can end the season]. They know. But these kids met the challenge today.”