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Bass taking one for the team
Updated: May 18, 2011 10:50PM
VALPARAISO — Coaches often preach to their players to keep their heads in the game. Washington Township freshman Corey Bass took that literally.
Bass took a pitch to the head with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning on Wednesday to give the Senators a 6-5 comeback victory over South Central in the PCC Tournament.
“I came up to bat feeling nervous but looking for a good pitch when he threw one that hit me in the helmet to score the winning run,” Bass said. “I was looking to score the runner from third but didn’t expect to do it that way.”
South Central came out strong, scoring four runs in the first to take the early lead. Washington Township answered back with two in the first to cut the lead in half.
After South Central added another run in the second, things settled down on both sides and both pitchers and defenses took command.
Down 5-2 in the bottom of the seventh, Washington Township (15-6) had runners on first and second when a routine grounder was hit to the pitcher.
The throw got away from the first baseman, allowing both runners to score and cutting the lead to 5-4. With A.J. Whitcomb standing on second, Bob Ross came up for the Senators and hit a shot to right-centerfield that allowed Whitcomb to score to send the game into extra innings.
In the ninth, with two men on base via walks, South Central decided to roll the dice and intentionally walk Justin Landgrebe to load the bases for Bass.
Bass took his spot in the batter’s box and took the shot to the head that resulted in the winning run scoring and his team advancing in the PCC Tournament.
“We are pleased with the win, because we have a group of kids that are fighters that didn’t give up in this game, and thanks to a break on the error, we were able to capitalize and get the win,” said Washington Township coach Randy Roberts. “This game is a tribute to the no-quit attitude these kids have, and to our ailing teammate Cody Goodwin.”
South Central (11-10-1) looked to have things in control until things unraveled in the seventh.
“It’s very disappointing and that is the way our season has seemed to go this year,” said South Central coach Ron King. “We get a lead and get complacent, we just aren’t closing out games the way we should.”
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