Published: October 05, 2009 09:44 am      

Byng ends the season for Am-Po

AMBER – Byng’s Blake Wheat two-hit host Amber-Pocasset to end their season with a 10-0 run-rule in Saturday’s round of Regional eliminations.

Sophomore catcher Kyler Nichols singled twice but was left stranded both times as the Panther bats never could get going. Senior right fielder Jerrod Sneed was the only other Am-Po player to reach base, working the only walk of the game in the Panther fourth.

Former Tuttle coach Shawn Streater had his Pirates swinging the bats as they collected eleven hits off of Panther junior Zach Friesen, who went the full five innings for the loss.

The Bucs scored three times in the second and third innings then dropped four runs on Amber in the fifth to finish it.

Shortstop Brandon Fortner’s third inning double scored first baseman Ryan Williams, left fielder Clint Humphers squeezed courtesy runner Justin Frazier (running for Wheat) in and Fortner scored from third as Humphers got picked off.

Wheat helped himself in the third with a bases-loaded single, then Fortner squeezed Williams in from third and Humphers singled third baseman Mason Groves in to extend to 6-0.

Am-Po dodged a bullet in the fourth as they worked their way out of trouble leaving runners on the corners, but nine-hole Austin Williamson singled Frazier in to start the fifth then catcher and leadoff hitter Chaise Haley launched a towering three-run homer to left-center to seal the deal.

“It never ends the way you want it to end,” coach Cheyenne Graham said. “We had a rough couple of days but we’re young and we’re looking forward to the future.

“Fletcher is as good as anybody around and Byng played really well today. We gained a lot of experience that we can build on. We’re not going to hang our heads. We’ll just keep working to get ready for spring and look forward for another chance to go to state.”

Fletcher extended to 24-1 as it claimed the first state berth Friday and Dale ended Byng’s run in the late game for a trip to Dolese.