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Tide tame the Tigers
LongWin
Long County players gather together around home plate to congratulate a player for a well-hit home run. - photo by By Patty Leon / Coastal Courier
The bats were in full swing for the Long County Blue Tide baseball team Friday night as they slugged their way to a 9-5 victory over the visiting Bradwell Tigers.
Neither team scored a run until the top of the second inning when the Tigers started the scoring with 2.
Tiger Kentrell Hargrove had a tough time at the mound during the bottom of the second with several walks, filling the bases. A strong hit by the Tide and an error from Tiger Daniel Materne gave the Tide a 5-2 lead to close the second.
Making up for the error Materne hit a double with the bases loaded and 2 outs bringing in 2 runners. He finished the inning by coming home making it 5-5 at the top of the third.
But the Tide came back with 2 more runs to close the third inning with a 2-point lead (7-5).
Dustin Belletti took the mound for the Tigers to finish the game but allowed a home run in the sixth inning. The Tide then added another score to finish the Tiger 9-5.
Try as they did, the Tigers were unable to score from the fourth to the final inning due to a deep pitching squad for the Tide.
"Our pitching staff is coming along and if we can keep them healthy we will be solid," Tide coach Brian Thomas said. "While we don't single out individual efforts I will say Tyler Hall showed great senior leadership."
Thomas said his team had better clutch hitting in the game. He credits the teamwork of his players.
"They are working and playing hard together and playing very unselfish," he said.
Thomas said he did see some throwing errors and would work with the team to make those corrections.
Tiger coach Rhett Hellgren said offensively and defensively his team was fine but the pitching is not where he hopes it will be before they play regional games.
"Walks or hits by pitch will kill you and five of their nine runs were from walks or hits by pitch," he said. "We got to throw strikes and they know that and we'll work on that. Pitching is the hardest thing on the baseball field."
Hellgren said his squad also needed more hits. The Tigers had 7 strikeouts in their loss.
The Tide are now 1-1 while the Tigers are 0-2. The Tide travel  to Manor tomorrow to take on the Ware Magnet Eagles, the first pitch will be at 6 p.m.


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