CUB BASEBALL BESTS DAYTON 2-1 TO CLAIM BI-DISTRICT CHAMPIONSHIP
It was not the easiest of paths, but the Brenham Cub Baseball Team did what they had to do to get past Dayton, and claim the Bi-District Championship.
The Cubs won the series opener on Thursday night 7-4. After rains washed out the chances of playing on Friday, the series resumed yesterday (Saturday) with Dayton winning the second game 3-2, but Brenham rallied in third game to win it 3-2, and advance to the Area Round of the playoffs.
GAME TWO: DAYTON BRONCOS 3 BRENHAM CUBS 2
The day got off to a good start for the Cubs as Owen Finke led off the game with a solo homer over the center field fence.
The Broncos got the run back in the bottom of the first inning on a home run of their own, and the game was tied 1-1. Dayton got another home run in the bottom of the second inning to take a 2-1 lead.
Their third run came on a suicide squeeze, which put Dayton up 3-1.
Brenham finally got back on the scoreboard in the fifth inning. Brayden Steele led it off with a single, Bleu Cienega was brought in as a courtesy runner, and stole second base. Cienega later scored on an RBI single by Finke to cut the lead to 3-2.
That would be as close as the Cubs would get as Dayton held on the rest of the way to force a Game Three.
Steele got the start, and was tagged with the tough luck loss.
HITTING
Owen Finke 3-3 two singles, homer, two RBIs
Ethan Aschenbeck 1-2 double, walk
Brayden Steele 1-3 single
PITCHING
LP Brayden Steele 6 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
GAME THREE: BRENHAM CUBS 3 DAYTON BRONCOS 2
The third and deciding game produced another close battle as the game stayed scoreless until the top of the fourth inning. For the Cubs, who were the visiting team for the second game in a row, Drake Bentke led off the frame with a walk, and Ethan Aschenbeck sacrifice bunted him to second base. Two batters later, Landry Mendoza smashed an RBI double to put Brenham in front 1-0.
Dayton responded with two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to take a 2-1 lead.
The Cubs tied it up in 2-2 in the top of the fifth inning. Owen Finke doubled, and then he would come around to score on an RBI single by Brody Tucker.
After that the game remained scoreless until the top of the eighth inning. Luke Hardy led off the inning with a walk, and later he went to third on a double by Brayden Steele. Hardy scored the go-ahead, and what would turn out to be the game winning run on a sacrifice fly by Hudson Hartstack.
Starting pitcher Dawson Keim turned in a masterful performance as he went all eight innings to pick up the win. The last out was recorded in the bottom of the eighth on a fly ball to Aschenbeck, who made the catch to send the Cubs to the next round of the playoffs.
HITTING
Landry Mendoza 2-3 single, double, walk, RBI
Brody Tucker 2-4 two singles, RBI
Owen Finke 1-4 double, run
Brayden Steele 1-4 double
Hudson Hartstack two walks, sac fly RBI
PITCHING
WP Dawson Keim 8 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 K
Brenham is now 23-11-1 on the season. Next up, they will face Port Neches-Groves (26-5) in the Area Round of the playoffs, who are coming off of a two- game sweep over Santa Fe.
Game 1 will be Thursday at 7pm at Reckling Park (Rice University in Houston). Game 2 will be Friday at 7pm, also at Reckling Park. If a third game is needed, it will be Saturday at 1pm at Crosby High School.