Kelly, Lee keep Blue Devils alive in 8-7 win over D'Iberville

by Carey Meitzler

After a heart-breaking one run road loss on Friday night, Pearl River Central knew they had to bring their 'A' game if they wanted to

extend the series with D'Iberville to a decisive third game.  After a shaky start, the Blue Devils rode the arm of junior Sean Kelly and

the bat of junior Josh Lee to an 8-7 extra inning win over the Warriors at the Pearl River Central Sports Complex.

D'Iberville jumped out to a 5-0 lead on Blue Devil starter Paul Dillard and he was replaced by Kelly with two outs and a runner at second

base in the 3rd inning.  Kelly induced a ground out from the first batter he faced to get out of the inning.

Photo by Jill Lee

Matt Discon drilled this pitch into center for a single to keep the 6th inning alive.

Photos by Jill Lee

Sean Kelly kept the Warriors in check while PRC rallied; Josh Lee (right) led the Blue Devils with 4 hits and 4 RBIs.

With Kelly holding the Warriors scoreless in the fourth and fifth, PRC scratched their way back into the game. 

Mike Lehmann walked to open the bottom of the 4th and scored with two outs when D'Iberville misplayed Jordie Meadows grounder at

first base to keep the inning alive. Lehmann scored on a wild pitch to make the score 5-1. 

In the 5th, PRC inched closer by plating two more runs.

Photo by Jill Lee

Silas Baker attempts a tag on D'Iberville's Ryan McQueen at first base.

Kyle Pearson walked to start the inning and Matt Discon singled sharply to center to put runners at first and second base.  Josh Lee dropped

down a bunt and beat it out for a single to load the bases with no outs. After Graham fouled out to the catcher, Lehmann walked to force

home Pearson.  Ram Miller's fielder's choice forced Lehmann at second, but Discon scored on the play to make it 5-3.

Photo by Jill Lee

Josh Lee rounds first base on one of  4 hits; Matt Discon throws to first to gun down a runner attempting to steal.

Kelly walked the leadoff hitter Sean Saucier in the top of the 6th and Saucier was replaced by pinch runner Cody Peacock.  Peacock

moved to second on a wild pitch and then stole third as Kelly struck out the batter for the first out of the inning.  With Peacock at third

base, Kelly fanned the next two batters to keep the Blue Devils within striking distance.

The Blue Devils got a leadoff single to right from Paul Dillard who was replaced by pinch runner Cody Dillard.  Adam Herrin moved Dillard

to second with a sacrifice bunt.  After Pearson struck out, Matt Discon fouled off four pitches on a 1-2 count before he laced a single to center

field to keep the inning alive.  Lee, who was 4 for 5 on the day, slapped a 0-1 pitch off the right field wall that plated Dillard and Discon to tie

the game at 5-5.

Photo by Jill Lee

Adam Herrin checks with Coach Lewis before his sac bunt; Josh Lee looks to the dugout early in Game 2.

Kelly work a perfect seventh that gave PRC a chance to win it in the bottom of the seventh, but Clayton Seymour, who got the win on Friday night

in a 113 pitch performance, was inserted and kept the Blue Devils from scoring and sent the game into extra innings.

D'Iberville scored two runs in the top of the 8th inning on a walk, a double to right that was misplaced by the Blue Devils, and an infield single.

Trailing 7-5 and down to their last three outs, PRC's Meadows singled to right to start the inning.  Freshman pinch hitter Brett Tortorich laced a single

to center on the first pitch he saw from Seymour.  Discon moved the runners to third and second base with a sacrifice bunt to bring Lee to the plate.

Lee slammed an 0-1 pitch over the center fielder's head that easily scored Meadows and Tortorich and Lee headed to third base where the throw was

off line, bounced off the brick retaining wall in front of the third base dugout and rolled back into the infield allowing Lee to race home with the game

winner.

Kelly got the win working 5 1/3 innings, allowing just the two hits in the 8th, walked just two batters, and struck out 8 batters.

The win moves the Blue Devils record to 20-10 while D'Ibeville now stands at 24-12.

With the series tied at one game each, the third and deciding game will be played on Thursday at D'Iberville with the first pitch scheduled for 7:00pm

at Warrior field.