Trinity pitchers shut down Satsuma in 4A sweep
Webber McClinton and Wesley Stallings pitched Trinity into the Class 4A quarterfinals on Friday afternoon.
The Wildcats swept Satsuma 10-0 and 5-1 to advance.
In the opener, McClinton allowed three singles in six innings and struck out five. The Gators didn’t pick up their first hit until a leadoff single in the fourth inning. Fisher Fuller and Jansen Banashak singled back-to-back to open the inning. McClinton retired the next three batters to stop the Gators’ only scoring threat of the game.
RELATED: Friday playoff roundup
Cooper Bernier drove in four runs to lead the Wildcats, including a two-out, bases-clearing double in the second inning. Bernier added a sacrifice fly, scoring Webber McClinton in the fifth inning. Brady Rascoll added another bases-loaded double in the fourth inning to stretch the Trinity lead to 7-0.
David Lieux and Fleming Hall each had multiple hits for the Wildcats. Lieux reached base four times, scoring twice. Brett Nix took the loss for the Gators, allowing seven runs on eight hits in 3.2 innings.
Satsuma suffered its largest defeat of the season, snapping a six-game winning streak.
Stallings got the job done in Game 2. He pitched a complete game and struck out three, throwing only 76 pitches. He allowed only a single in the fourth and a pair of hits in the seventh. The Gators’ lone run came when Randal Barfoot drove in Jansen Banashak after Banashak doubled for the Gators’ only extra base hit of the series.
Tucker Hicks took the loss on the mound for Satsuma, pitching five innings and allowing five runs on seven hits.
The Wildcats scored four runs in the third inning. Bernier singled, driving in Wilson Albrecht. Lieux followed with a double to center field, knocking in Fleming Hall. Ross Sanders continued with a double, scoring Bernier and Lieux.
Lieux added a double in the fifth inning and later scored on a wild pitch to cap the scoring for Trinity.
Satsuma lost back-to-back games for only the second time all season.
Trinity (22-10) advances to play UMS-Wright in the third round after winning its 11th consecutive game.