Ben Lippen’s David McElveen slides into home in the bottom of the fifth against Hammond. Photos by Mike Maddock
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The Ben Lippen Falcons are one win away from making it to the SCISA 4A State Championship series following a 7-0 win over the Hammond Skyhawks Thursday, May 1.
“There is still baseball to play,” Ben Lippen head coach Brian Larsen said. “Tonight is great and it puts us one step closer, but that was the message here, ‘You guys did a great job tonight, but we are not there yet.’ I’m proud of the way they came out and fought tonight. Usually I critique them too much, even after wins. We did a lot well tonight. I’m super proud of them. We’re not there yet. We still have to win one more before we get there and that won’t be easy.”
While Ben Lippen’s offense got in gear from the start, it was the Falcons’ pitcher, Sean Lee, who set the tone sitting down Hammond in order to start the game. Lee threw a complete game shutout giving up two hits and striking out 13.
“Today, Mason’s (O’Cain) pitch calling was awesome,” Lee said. “I never shake it off. I trust Mason’s calls. I threw into Mason’s mitt. That was all.”
Ben Lippen’s Sean Lee threw a complete game shutout. He allowed only two hits while striking out 13 batters.
It was O’Cain who got the offense going in the bottom of the first blasting a two-out double that just missed clearing the left field fence. Then David McElveen did clear the fence with a two-run home run to give Ben Lippen a 2-0 lead.
“It was a 2-2 count. I wasn’t expecting anything in the zone,” McElveen said. “I was in my two-strike approach. He threw me a hanging change-up. I don’t usually try to lift the ball with two strikes, but it was just a great pitch to hit. I got it in the air and hit it hard enough to get it over.”
The score held until the bottom of the third when Cash Kubicek drew a lead off walk. Lee then doubled, scoring Kubicek and increasing the lead to 3-0. Breon Earle followed with a single, scoring pinch runner Michael Traynum as the Falcons led 4-0.
Hammond tried to start a comeback in the top of the fourth. James Lay roped a two-out single and Worth Lundy drew a walk, but Lee rebounded with a strikeout to end the threat.
“I couldn’t throw that many first pitch strikes so I struggled a little,” Lee said. “Mason just came to me on the mound and told me to trust him. I trust Mason. I trust my teammate, so I made the decision.”
Ben Lippen struck again in the bottom of the fifth when Lee legged out a leadoff triple. O’Cain walked and McElveen was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out. Michael Bishop and Ty Fajarado also walked, scoring Traynum and Ford Crane as the Falcons’ lead grew to 6-0. Micah Ott hit a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring McElveen to set the final score.
With the win, Ben Lippen continues in the winner’s bracket and will play Pinewood Prep Wednesday, May 7. The Panthers beat the Hammond Skyhawks 15-2 in an elimination game Monday, May 5. The Falcons only need to win one of two possible games to advance to the State Championship series.
“I think it’s good,” Larsen said of the 6-day break. “It’s a lot of late nights. The year is long. It allows us to rest a little bit and still practice. It allows us to cut practice short sometimes. It allows us to catch up a little bit. I look forward to next week. Monday, Tuesday we’ll probably hit it hard and get ready for whoever our opponent is. I think it’s a good thing. It allows our pitchers to recover. Even though we are chomping at the bit, we want to get out there. It’ll be nice to take a few days to catch our breath.
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