Sandstone and Elba score semifinal wins
Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Brayden LaMartina, left, drove in the winning run and pitched two no hit innings in relief for Sandstone. At right, Carlton second baseman Caden Woolston takes the throw to get Sandstone’s Landon Gallagher out.
Top seeded Sandstone downed No. 4 Carlton 4-0 and No. 2 Elba bested No. 3 Barre 9-0 in the semifinals of the Albion Midget League playoffs Friday evening.
Sandstone will now host Elba in the championship game at 1 p.m. Sunday.
A triple by Brayden LaMartina in the third inning plated what proved to be the winning run for Sandstone. Later Sandstone added three big insurance runs in the fifth frame on an RBI single by Eli Johnson and two bases loaded walks. Leadoff pinch hit singles by Aiden Kelly and Eli Sample set up the uprising.
Carlton’s best scoring chance came in the third inning when Jack Conn led off with a triple. However, Sandstone starting pitcher Omer Fugate registered 3 strikeouts to quickly end the threat.
Fugate scattered 3 hits and struck out 8 in four innings of work. LaMartina came on to hurl the final two frames allowing no hits and striking out 4.
Tate Zuber had a big night on the mound for Elba registering a total of 17 strikeouts over the 6 innings.
