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Bethel hands Denbigh 2nd baseball loss
By Melinda Waldrop| mwaldrop@dailypress.com

Justin Shively said Cameron Roth is a good buddy of his. On Monday, Shively seemed intent on breaking up the friendship.

Shively, Bethel's sophomore starter, outdueled Roth, Denbigh's senior ace, in a 3-0 game as the Bruins became just the second team to beat the Patriots this season and moved closer to a second-place Peninsula District finish and a first-round tournament bye.

"I got real nervous at the very beginning," said Shively (6-2), who recorded his first varsity shutout. "(Bethel) coach (Brett) Wheeler had a lot to say. He came up to me and told me just to relax and enjoy the game of baseball."

Bethel's Daniel Hudgins belted a two-run home run in the first inning, and the Bruins (13-4-1, 12-4-1 Peninsula District) made those runs stand up against the regular-season district champion Patriots (17-2, 15-2), giving up just three hits and ending Denbigh's best scoring chance with a double play in the fourth.

"I told the guys today that their destiny was in their hands," said Wheeler, whose team can clinch second with a victory today against winless Phoebus. "They had to come out and play hard, and as long as they did that, they were in the driver's seat."

Shively didn't allow a baserunner until a one-out walk in the third, and with two outs, Denbigh senior shortstop Aaron Watkins, got the Patriots' first hit with a single up the middle.

In the fourth inning, Roth ripped a one-out line drive that Bethel shortstop Kizuku Scott kept in the infield with a diving stop to put runners at first and second. Denbigh's next batter, Matt Watlett, hit a chopper to third base, where Zack Sanders tagged the bag and fired a one-hopper to first in time to get Watlett by a step and end the inning.

The Patriots' defense wouldn't be outdone. In the sixth, Scott walked, stole second and took third on a passed ball. Wheeler called for a squeeze bunt, but Hudgins popped up to Roth, and Scott, three-fourths of the way down the baseline, was doubled off third.

Denbigh then sent the heart of its order to the plate, but Shively struck out Watkins and got back-to-back grounders to shortstop as the Patriots' top three hitters combined to go 1-for-9.

The Bruins' third run came in the seventh on a balk by Roth, who struck out 11 and allowed just four hits.

Shively hit Roth with one out in Denbigh's last at-bat, but ended the game with a flyout and a strikeout.

"That was a big game for them," Denbigh coach Rusty Ingram said. "We clinched (the regular-season district title) on Friday, and we didn't match their intensity."

Bethel 3, Denbigh 0
Bethel 200 000 1 – 3 4 0
Denbigh 000 000 0 – 0 3 0
W – Shively (6-2). L – Roth (7-2). Standouts – Bethel: Copley 2-3, 2B; Hudgins 1-3, HR, 2 RBI; Denbigh: Roth 1-2.
Records: Bethel 13-4-1, 12-4-1 PD; Denbigh 17-2, 15-2 PD.

[WHATS-UP???]

Looks like Denbigh has a hard time winning tough games with all the "INDIVIDUAL" players and parents THEY HAVE. Even the reporters are having a hard time not getting caught up in the POLITICS AT DENBIGH. The teams who play as a team are on the run and will prevail from here on.
The RUBBER STAMP year may get the best of this team yet.

[BaseballFan1]

Have to say that their must be some pretty good "INDIVIDUALS" on that team to be 15-2 and beat every team in the district while not playing as a team. "TOUGH GAMES" you may be right on that one, and starting Monday week they will have plenty of those kind of games (District Tourn & Regional Tourn). For sure time will answer that question.

Whoever put the RUBBER STAMP on this team must have known something, cause this years PD race is over.

[WHATS-UP???]

Time will tell if this group of very talented players can play with a TEAM.
Denbigh needs the parents and players to leave their I'm THE KING EGO at home and find a team leader to step up and put a TEAM together for the real competition ahead. Time has come for the real truth to be told. Don't rely on the press write-ups just look at the game scores.

[nancyblackmon]

I work at Denbigh and see these kids every day. I can't speak about parent's egos, but I can speak for the quality and integrity of the players. This is a exceptional group of young men and they deserve the fantastic season they've had. PD Tourney play is always a crapshoot, but Denbigh has the quality players and leadership to represent us well.

[WHATS-UP???]

You need to go watch one of their games. Watch the parents in action.

[goldglove1]

your right "whats up", baseball games are supposed to be silent, none of the fans should say one word,
if the only thing you have to complain about is the denbigh parents, it is time for you to exit this thread
thank you