Late heroics propel A.C. Flora
AAA Baseball Playoffs • May 5, 2008
By Michael Orr

Photos by Elizabeth Bailey Johnson Blythewood's Ross Kistler slides safely back to first avoiding the tag from A.C. Flora first baseman Kevin O'Quinn.

A.C. Flora pitchers got out of almost every jam and Robert Gibbes hit a thunderous three- run home run with two outs in the seventh inning to send the Falcons back to the Upper State Championship round with a 3- 1 victory at Blythewood on May 5. Blythewood's Michael Hanzlik pitched a complete game but was unable to complete the shut out, falling just one out short.

Blythewood got to Flora pitcher Alex Mitchell early in the game by putting multiple runners on base in each of the first two innings. A Caleb Brazell infield hit with the bases loaded in the bottom of the first scored Ross Kistler and gave the Bengals a 1- 0 lead that would last into the seventh. Mitchell struck out the final two batters to end the inning, averting disaster.

In the third and fourth innings, close calls at first base hurt the Falcons as they stranded runners at third base in each case. Blythewood then left the bases loaded when Mitchell struck out Dwayne Addy to end the exciting fourth inning.

A.C. Flora starting pitcher Alex Mitchell

The fifth inning for Flora was plagued by base running blunders as two of the outs were caused by pickoff throws, despite having had three runners on base. As the game wore on and each Falcon threat was neutralized by a close play at first base or poor base running, the feeling set in that it was simply not Flora's day to advance. In the top of the sixth, the feeling intensified as Duy Phan lined into a double play to end the Falcons' next to last chance to get on the scoreboard.

Coach Andy Hallett pulled his starter Mitchell with two out in the bottom of the sixth in favor of Will Freeman. Freeman promptly loaded the bases with consecutive walks but powered his way through Brazell with a strike out to end the sixth.

After earning outs on the first two batters, Hanzlik gave up back- to- back singles to Corey Young and Jay Wilson, bringing Robert Gibbes to the plate with two on and two out. Gibbes crushed a Hanzlik pitch deep to left field, giving the Falcons a sudden two run lead and sending the visiting fans and players into a frenzy. In the course of one pitch the Falcons' chances of repeating as AAA state champions returned.

Bengals' starting pitcher Michael Hanzlik

Freeman entered the bottom of the seventh with purpose striking out Daniel Andreu looking and Will Ferrell swinging. A groundout to third ended the game and pushed A.C. Flora back into the Upper State Championship round where they will play on May 9.