Red Devils Fall in Tourney, 8-3

A slow start proved fatal for the Chelsea High baseball team in their contest with Weston in the first round of the Division 3 North state baseball tournament, as the Red Devils dropped an 8-3 decision.

“We had some tough breaks early and didn’t make some plays,” said CHS head coach Alan Beausoleil. “Once we settled down we were okay and we played Weston evenly the rest of the way. But it proved too deep a hole for us to dig out of.”

Weston grabbed a quick 1-0 lead in the top of first inning on a two-out base hit and then added four more markers in the second frame.  A Red Devil error and two more Weston hits with two outs, including a triple, played the key roles in the visitors’ rally.

Weston tacked on two more markers in the third, with a CHS error once again playing a contributing factor in the Weston run production, leaving matters at 7-0 after three innings.

Beausoleil replaced Chelsea starting pitcher Eli Ortiz (who yielded only three earned runs) with Odanys Urbaez to start the fourth. Odanys went the remaining four frames in impressive fashion, allowing just one unearned run the rest of the way, that marker coming in the sixth.

With Weston held off the board  for the first time in the game, the Red Devils’ bats came to life in the fourth. Ortiz led off with a base hit, though he was removed from the basepaths on a fielder’s choice by Adonys Urbaez. However, Odanys Urbaez. followed with a triple, easily scoring his twin brother, and Peter Marmolejos then delivered a double to bring in Odanys to slice the Weston lead to 7-2

However, the next play provided a preview of the frustrations that would later bedevil the Red Devils. David Velastegui banged a base hit into the outfield, but  Marmolejos was thrown out at the plate, ending the Chelsea rally.

The Chelsea offense resumed its attack in the fifth. Jose Pineda doubled  and Luis Diaz singled him home to make it 7-3. Ortiz drew a walk and Adonys Urbaez reached on an infield it to fill the sacks with Devils with just one out. That brought up Odanys Urbaez, who shot a low line drive down the third base line. The ball appeared ticketed for the left field corner, which easily would have scored two runs and placed the tying runs on base.

However, the Weston third baseman made a diving grab to snare the ball and then doubled up Diaz at third for a double play to end the inning.

Weston added an extra insurance run  in the sixth and Chelsea was unable to mount another offensive push in its last two at bats, leaving matters at 8-3 at game’s end.

Although the Red Devils’ season ended with a loss (as it does for every team in the tournament save for the one champion), it did not diminish the outstanding campaign that the 2011 team had accomplished.

“I told the team afterwards that I am very proud of them and all that they have achieved,” said Beausoleil. “They were the CAC Small champions and qualified for the tourney for the first time since 2008. They fought back against Weston and played hard right to the end, which is all that any coach can ask of his players.”

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