Early start not enough for Whitman

Whitman High School's male athletes are best known for their long hair and big bank accounts. But after losing 5-3 to the Blair Varsity baseball team, Whitman will be thought of as just another victim of the Blazers, who have won five consecutive games and improved its record to 5-1 tonight.

The game started off on a bad note for Blair, however. After multiple errors, a Whitman bunt put the team ahead 1-0. Two more hits off pitcher Liam Bowen allowed Whitman to get ahead early, as they went into the bottom of the first with a 3-0 lead.

Blair was unable to counter Whitman offensively until the third inning, when the Blazers' bats lit up. Outfielders Will Fassett and Tom Foley each singled. Shortstop Josh Richardson followed with a single of his own, driving in the first run of the game.

From there, consecutive singles by seniors Thomas Kauffman, Mike Coe and Nick Cope gave the Blazers a 4-3 edge over Whitman. After outfielder Matt Collogan was walked, catcher Max Eckert drove in the final run of the inning, capping off a five run rally that gave the Blazers a lead that they would not relinquish.

After the first inning Bowen was stellar and pitched a three-hitter. Bowen pitched all seven innings and recorded his second win of the season, improving his varsity record to 8-1. Helping the cause was Blair's defense, which stepped up and made great defensive plays. Richardson, who has one of the strongest arms on the team, made difficult defensive plays seem routine.

Fassett also played a superb defensive game. Playing center field, he recorded the last three outs of the game. Fassett used his speed to steal second during the team's third inning rally. Coe had two stolen bases while Collogan had one in the game.

Blair took advantage of Whitman's weak defense, as they were able to advance runners into scoring position. Also, errors by Whitman allowed Blair to stay alive in the first inning and almost score, as Foley and Richardson reached first on consecutive errors.

Despite Whitman's flaws, Blair was still in a three run hole after two innings. According to Richardson, the Blazers were able to come back by uniting as a team and producing at the plate. "We just came together and realized that our team has a lot of potential. We started getting very aggressive at bat," Richardson said.

Also, Bowen's pitching late in the game was vital for the team. He pitched six scoreless innings and gave up no hits during that span. "Liam pitched a three-hitter, which can never hurt a team," said Richardson.

With its fifth consecutive victory, the Blazers avenged its loss to Whitman last year, which was one of only three regular season defeats for Blair. The team's next game will be on Saturday at 3:30 against Sherwood High School.