Meridian captures third
 
Seventh-inning rally lifts Trojans over Bellevue Chr., 5-2

TOURNEYTOWN.COM

Zach Slesk tossed a complete-game five-hitter, and Meridian snapped a tie with a four-run seventh inning as the Trojans beat Bellevue Christian 5-2 on Saturday for third place in the Class 1A baseball state tournament.

Meridian finished the season at 20-8, while the Vikings ended at 14-12.

Slesk allowed just one hit through five innings, before the Vikings scored single runs in the sixth and seventh. He struck out seven and walked three.

Meridian's four runs in the seventh snapped a 1-1 tie. Tucker Bronkema, who reached base on a single, moved to second on a hit batsman and took third on a fielder's choice, scored on a wild pitch to snap the tie. After an intentional walk to set up a possible force play, Mitchell Tripp blasted a two-run triple off the left-field wall. Matt Vinke followed with an RBI double to right.

Slesk allowed two singles to start the seventh, but worked out of the jam with a strikeout and two groundouts, sandwiched around a walk.

Tripp finished 2-for-4. Dan Marino plated the Trojans' second-inning run with a two-out single. 

Bellevue Christian seventh: S. FitzPatrick singles off pitching mound; Coyle singles down left-field line; runners advance on wild pitch; Dosch strikes out looking; Hanstad RBI groundout to third; Howie walks; Breilh grounds out to first. One run, two hits, no errors, two runners left on base.     

Meridian seventh: Marino strikes out; Bronkema singles to center; Warren hit by pitch; T. Slesk grounds into 4-6 fielder's choice; Bronkema scores on wild pitch, T. Slesk advances to second; Z. Slesk intentionally walked; Tripp 2 RBI triple to left; Vinke RBI double down right-field line, advances to third on wild pitch; Murphy pops out to short. Four runs, three hits, no errors, one runner left on base.     

Bellevue Christian sixth: Howie grounds out to second; Breilh singles to center; R. FitzPatrick grounds out to short; Townsend RBI single to left; DeKlerk grounds into 6-4 fielder's choice. One run, two hits, no errors, one runner left on base.

Meridian sixth: Vinke walks; Vinke picked off first; Murphy strikes out; Clark strikes out. No runs, no hits, no errors, no runners left on base.

Bellevue Christian fifth: S. FitzPatrick strikes out looking; Coyle walks; Dosch sacrifice bunt, Coyle advances to second; Hanstad grounds out to second. No runs, no hits, no errors, one runner left on base.

Meridian fifth: Bronkema flies out to right; Warren walks, steals second; T. Slesk walks; Z. Slesk lines out to third; Tripp flies out to left. No runs, no hits, no errors, two runners left on base. 

Bellevue Christian fourth: R. FitzPatrick singles to right; Townsend grounds into fielder's choice at second, FitzPatrick forced at second; Townsend caught stealing at second; DeKlerk grounds out to second. No runs, one hit, no errors, no runners left on base.  

Meridian fourth: Vinke walks; Murphy sacrifice bunt to first; Clark grounds out to first, Vinke advances to third; Marino pops out to catcher. No runs, no hits, no errors, one runner left on base.

Bellevue Christian third: Hanstad strikes out looking; Howie flies out to left; Breilh strikes out. No runs, no hits, no errors, no runners left on base.

Meridian third: Warren grounds out to short; T. Slesk flies out to right; Z. Slesk singles to left; Tripp singles to right; Z. Slesk thrown out at plate 4-3-2. No runs, two hits, no errors, one runner left on base.

Bellevue Christian second: S. FitzPatrick grounds out to first; Coyle strikes out; Blackett strikes out looking. No runs, no hits, no errors, no runners left on base.

Meridian second:  Vinke grounds out to short; Murphy bunt single down third-base line, steals second; Clark flies out to center; Marino RBI single to left; Bronkema grounds out to short. One run, two hits, no errors, one runner left on base.  

Bellevue Christian first: Howie pops out to left; Breilh strikes out looking; R. FitzPatrick reaches on booted grounder to third, advances to second on wild pitch; Townsend walks; DeKlerk grounds into fielder's choice, FitzPatrick forced at third. No runs, no hits, one error, two runners left on base. 

Meridian first: Warren strikes out; T. Slesk doubles to left; Z. Slesk pops out to first; Tripp strikes out. No runs, one hit, no errors, one runner left on base. 

Starting lineups
   Meridian -- Warren, lf; T. Slesk, ss; Z. Slesk, p; Tripp, 1b; Vinke, 3b; Murphy, c; Clark, rf; Marino, cf; Bronkema, 2b.
   Bellevue Christian -- Howie, 1b; Breilh, 2b; R. FitzPatrick, 3b; Townsend, p; DeKlerk, c; S. FitzPatrick, ss; Coyle, rf; Blackett, lf; Hanstad, cf.