The Chelsea Baseball Team used timely hitting, good defense and clutch pitching to upset #8 ranked Tecumseh 4-3 in pre-district play on Tuesday.
Tecumseh took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning but Chelsea closed the door on any further scoring when catcher Cal Barrett made a diving catch on an attempted suicide squeeze and doubled off the runner on third.
The momentum carried over into the top half of the 2nd inning as Chelsea pushed across 2 runs with 2 outs. Tecumseh rallied again in the 4th but another inning ending double play kept the score at 2-1.
Chelsea took a 4-1 lead in the 5th. Grant Ortbring lead off with his second hit of the game and came around to score later on an error. Matt McDaniels drove in the 4th run with a long sacrifice fly.
Tecumseh got back in the game with 2 runs after 2 were out in the bottom of the 6th as the rain started to fall. But junior Colin Steinhauer pitched his way out of trouble, keeping the score at 4-3 heading in to the 7th. The Bulldogs went down 1,2, 3 in their half of the inning, and were 3 outs away from moving on.
The SEC White champs sent up the bottom of their lineup as the rain continued. A poised Steinhauer got the lead-off hitter on a soft line out to start the inning. Third basemen McDaniels made an outstanding defensive play to get the second out of the inning and Steinhauer got the last hitter to fly out harmlessly to right field to end the game.
Leading the offense was senior Ortbring with 2 hits and 2 runs scored, and Barrett with 2 hits. Jacob Grob, Jake Scheese and Al Vasquez each had a hit. Vasquez also drove in a run.
Chelsea will host the districts this weekend and will face #6 ranked Milan on Saturday at 10 a.m. The winner advances to the district finals later that afternoon and play the winner of Ida and Adrian.
