Sports

Deerfield annihilates Augusta

• The Knights show Augusta Prep why they’re the No. 1 seed, as DWS beats up on the Cavaliers, 13-3, in Game 1 on their best-of-three series.

Derek Barichello

ALBANY -When Deerfield-Windsor fell behind, 3-2, after three innings in Game 1 of the opening round of the GISA AAA state playoffs on Friday, there was no panic.

Just a different approach.

After aggressive at-bats in the first three innings and hitting pitches early in the count became fruitless, the Knights stayed patient and turned it around in the fifth.

In the end, top-seeded DWS scored five runs in the inning off of two hits, three walks, three stolen bases and a pair of base hits to regain the lead and eventually grab a 13-3 five-inning run-rule win against fourth-seeded Augusta Prep in Game 1 of the best-of-three series at Deerfield.

"I talked to our guys and we decided to get patient at the plate," DWS coach Rod Murray said. "That was the difference. It was late in the game, (Augusta Prep starter John Paul Lynn) was worn down. We needed base runners."

In that fifth, Evan Boyd, who went 3-for-4 with a home run, recorded a run-scoring single and Justin Lott, who finished 2-for-3 with two runs batted in, tagged a run-scoring double.

"It was slow stuff, so you had to wait back," Boyd said of Augusta Prep's pitching. "Once you saw it, it was like hitting a beach ball."

Lott was happy to come up big at the plate because he did not feel he had his best stuff on the mound.

Before the Knights' run machine got going, he had just allowed three runs in the third, and Augusta Prep's Lynn had the Knights off balance.

The 6-4 hurler seemed to be in control after striking out five of the first six batters but ran into some trouble when the Cavaliers strung together three base hits and a two-out double in the third.

"I think I was too pumped at the start," Lott said. "I tried to do too much."

The Knights bounced back, however, with 10 runs in the final two innings to clinch the win for Lott via the run-rule as Grant Massey completed the game for the save.

Game 2 will be played at noon Saturday, with Game 3 scheduled after it.

Since the Cavaliers were able to play four innings of close baseball with the Knights, Augusta Prep coach Tyler Bromley said it helped his young team's confidence

"I think we surprised them," said Bromley, who started five freshman and one eighth grader. "I'd say it helped our confidence for the rest of the series. Young teams thrive on confidence and I think we'll be good to give them a game tomorrow."

Meanwhile the approach is the same for DWS as it tries to move onto the second round, needing only a win tomorrow.

"I just want our kids to rest," Murray said. "We got our win. We're fine."

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