Bridgeport bats University, 9-2, to force decisive game

The rematch at 1 p.m., again at University, will decide which team advances out of Section 2 and moves on to the best-of-three regionals against Morgantown starting on May 22.

Rowen Michaelis turned in his third strong Friday start in as many weeks, allowing two runs on five hits with seven strikeouts and just one walk in a complete game.

“Seven strikeouts against a team that’s that loaded? My hat’s off to him,” Bridgeport coach Robert Shields said. “We’ve had good pitching performances out of junior kids the last two days and it gives us the opportunity to be in the sectional championship. That’s what we’ve been working for.”

Phil Reed, Conner Blake, Dom Peasak and Grant Lively all had two hits for the Tribe, with Lively driving in two runs, and Mark Biafore added three RBIs.

“We put the ball in play. Nobody struck out. We made them make plays,” Shields said. “When you score with two outs, it’s really going to help. It’s not a deflater.”

Bridgeport got on the board in the top of the first.

Zach Rohrig led off with a walk, moved to second on Braden Bastin’s groundout, then, after Reed was hit by the pitch, Blake singled to load the bases.

Biafore was hit by the pitch to force in a run, but the Hawks then turned a 4-6-3 double play to get out of the inning without any more damage.

Brodee Latocha started the University first with a double, then scored on Cody Thomas’ single to left field to even things at 1.

In the top of the third, Reed began things with a single, then an error on Blake’s bunt scored courtesy runner Michael Romano and allowed Blake to get all the way to third.

Biafore’s sacrifice fly to center field made it a 3-1 Tribe lead.

Carson Currey then walked, Peasak singled and, after a double steal, Lively singled in Currey.

In the fourth, singles by Reed and Blake with one out were followed by a Biafore RBI single: 5-1.

Peasak walked with two outs to load the bases, but a flyout prevented further damage.

Bridgeport added another in the fifth on an error.

The Hawks fought back in the bottom of the fifth as Noah Braham doubled home Cody Thomas with two outs, but Michaelis continued his strong outing by retiring the dangerous Wenkai Campbell on a popout to end the inning and keep the lead at four runs, 6-2.

The Tribe promptly got that run back in the sixth.

With one out, Currey singled, Peasak walked, then, after a force out, Lively barreled one up the middle for an RBI single and a 7-2 Bridgeport edge.

A walk to Rohrig loaded the bases, then Bastin’s single and a walk to Reed moved the carousel around for two more runs.

“We got clutch hits when we needed them,” Shields said.

University is 20-10, while Bridgeport moves to 21-13.