Blazer baseball bangs out Bengals

BLAZER FIELD, Mar. 30 -

The varsity baseball team (3-1) dominated the seasoned Blake Bengals (1-4) on Monday night. In their fourth game of the season, the team continued building upon experience and stepped up to blow past the Bengals, 11-2.

Monday night's game marked the first time Blair baseball has defeated the Bengals in 19 years. Relying on sophomore pitcher Peirce Marston and junior catcher Alex Egber for their sharp defense throughout the game, the Blazers were able to blow away the Bengals. Head coach John MacDonald recognized the growing strength of the team and the significance of their latest win. "We beat a good team tonight and we made big plays. We faced a really good pitcher tonight," MacDonald said.

Coordination between Marston and Egber gave the Blazers an edge on the mound, as teamwork between the two set the Blake hitters throughout the night. The Blair offense found their stride after the third inning, looking to senior powerhouses Brady Ettinger and David Fegley to load the bases. The Blazers scored an amazing four runs in the sixth, leaving their opponents in the dust. "We caught pretty well and we hit pretty well," Egber said.

Errors on behalf of the Blake pitcher allowed Ettinger to walk three times in the game. Even while facing a preseason All-State pitcher in the sixth inning, sophomore Nevin Brown hit in one last run to cement a stunning 11-2 Blazer victory.

The Blazers didn't start out hot, allowing the Bengals to score two runs in the top of the first. Blair quickly retaliated with two runs of their own, courtesy of a smash to the outfield by Egber. With the score tied, the Blazers looked to shut down the Bengals defensively. A clutch catch by junior Sammy Denenberg in left field set the tone for the Blair defense throughout the rest of the game.

The victory over Blake was a combined effort and exhibited the honed skill of the team. Clutch hitting and consistency on defense gave Blair an undeniable advantage over the Bengals. The game also marked Marston's second complete game win of the season. "He was completely unflappable," MacDonald said of the pitcher.

With three wins under their belt, the Blazers look to work on mistakes and build on the skills they have now. "We'll see as the season progresses," MacDonald said in reference to changes the team will make.

The Blazers' next home game is on Monday against Seneca Valley at 11