Five-run fifth inning helps Eagles soar past Dutchtown

After taking a 4-2 lead, a five-run fifth inning by Archbishop Shaw sank Dutchtown and handed them a 10-4 loss in the opening game of the Jay Patterson Shootout Friday evening.

The Griffins go as their pitching goes and on Friday, they had their struggles on the mound. Ace Dillon Abbess had a rare off-game as he walked seven batters. It all equated to the fifth-inning implosion that led to their downfall.

However, early on, the Griffins were in control.

After Abbess was able to escape a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the second, Dutchtown's bats were finally able to break the scoreless tie.

To start off the top of the third, Bailey Braud collected an infield single. Nick Ourso then reached first after a Shaw fielding error.

The speedy Cullen Ballard gave Dutchtown their first run as he raced to first base and earned an RBI on an infield single.

That was followed up with another Eagle fielding error to give the Griffins a 2-0 lead.

Abbess struck out two in the bottom of the inning to put Dutchtown firmly in control, but his struggles began in the fourth.

He walked Kyle Flettrich to start the inning. Nick Carbo then singled.

Abbess struck out Lance Landry, but the third strike got past Dutchtown catcher Tyler Boeding--allowing Landry to make a run to first.

Boeding tried to throw him out, but it went over the head of the first baseman--allowing both Flettrich and Carbo to score and tie the game.

The Griffins answered back in the top of the fifth.

Payton Stafford reached base after a two-outs fielding error by Shaw. Brandt Fritsche then brought him home with an RBI double off the wall at right-center.

Fritsche then came home after an RBI single by Dane Anderson. It put the Griffins back on top at 4-2.

Unfortunately for Dutchtown, that's when the bottom fell out as the Eagles exploded for five runs.

Abbess really began to struggle with his control as he walked both Josh Pantoje and Jace Nini to start. After a Shaw two-RBI single, the game was tied.

Abbess then hit Matt Keller, and Flettrich was walked right afterward. That prompted head coach Chris Schexnaydre to send in Matthew Avrill in relief.

He had his share of struggles as well. He walked David Stanford to bring in a run, and Landry came through with an RBI single.

With a 6-4 lead, Averill walked Caiden Reid to bring in another run. Fortunately for the Griffins, Averill was able to regroup and strike out two batters to escape the inning.

But the damage was already done as they trailed, 7-4. It only got worse for Dutchtown.

After going three up and three down in the top of the sixth, Shaw struck again.

With Hunter Sanford pitching, the leadoff batter walked, and Keller walked as well.

Carbo then destroyed a Sanford pitch--sending it over the wall at straight-away center. The three-run blast gave Shaw a 10-4 advantage.

After the Griffins went three up, three down in the top of the seventh, the Eagles were able to close it out.

Carbo led the way for Shaw as he went 2-4 with a walk, a home run and three RBIs.

The Eagles only out-hit Dutchtown by a 7-6 margin, but Griffin pitchers walked Shaw batters 11 times.

The only Dutchtown hitter with multiple base-knocks was Anderson as he went 2-3 with an RBI. Fritsche went 1-3 with a RBI.

The loss was the fourth in five games for the Griffins. Afterward, they lost to Brother Martin and Jesuit by a combined margin of 19-2 before finishing up the tournament with a 6-4 win overall Rummel on Sunday.